I picked up Grousemoor simply because it was the only Sam Gawith blend available when I put in my last order. The hoarders had rushed to pick up all the more popular blends and I found myself curious about these hints of "lemongrass" spelled out in the tin description and thrown out there by reviewers. Now I've never tried lemongrass. I'm not even sure what the hell it is, but I love to seek out new flavors, and this sounded interesting--especially after reading the very polarizing reviews.

When I cracked open that tin for the first time, I must admit, the scent was bizarre. It wasn't the same floral note of the more traditional Lakeland tobaccos, Kendal Flake and the like. I just couldn't place it. The tobacco was a beautiful bright golden color, lighter even than many of the golden Virginia blends I have smoked. I was quite excited, actually, because this looked like something I had never seen or imagined, and I was optimistic that the flavor would follow that uncharacteristic path.

I hated it! It was horrible...and foreign. What is this?? Who would smoke such oddly perfumed rubbish? Who buys this stuff? Now I know why it's always the last of the Gawith blends to go! I've been tricked...I will never finish this tin! I said all of these things, liberally spiced with more colorful language.

When I had finished that first bowl, I threw the tin in my smoking cabinet. I figured, if they ever outlaw tobacco, I'll probably finish that tin. It was, to me, the British equivalent of Mixture No. 79. An abomination.

Over the course of a few weeks I'd pull many blends out of that cabinet, and I would grow increasingly drawn to that beautiful tin art and that strange scent. I found myself popping the lid, and taking gentle whiffs of that odd Grousemoor aroma. Those gentle whiffs became greedy gulps of intoxicating air, and that led to the inevitable and more frequent "occasional" smokes. I started with bowls in my smallest pipe, nothing more than ten minute concentrated smokes. I swore I wouldn't allow this tobacco to ghost one of my larger pipes. But as I continued with greater frequency in my experimentation, I found that I required larger bowls--to explore the nuances of Grousemoor, and isolate this "lemongrass" note that people kept mentioning.

It became a guilty pleasure, like gorging on Halloween candy. That sweet, oddly addicting additive kept me intrigued. I didn't even care about the lightness, the lack of nicotine. Grousemoor became an obsession. I wondered what the hell a grouse was, and learned it was a very swift bird, hunted by the British for game. "Oh..." I thought. That's why there are hunting dogs on the tin!

Well, this has been an educational experience, and in my budding studies, I learned that the blend was also sold as a plug--an absolutely beautiful brick of bombastic blending! I will hunt this tobacco with the ferocity of a man chasing wild game. Stay away! I will shoot you with my shotgun if you people turn Grousemoor into an endangered species!

Grouse-Moor is a very often maligned tobacco and this is simply not fair. It is a carefully produced blend of the finest ingredients and a consistent blending tradition going back over two hundred years. I would proffer that the reason so many would thumb their noses at it is because it is the sort of blend that we serious pipemen are told to shy away from because it is not laden with manly amounts of Latakia or smoky stoved Virginia.

For my part, Grouse-Moor is one of my favorite tobaccos, representing, as it does, the pinnacle of one of the most venerable traditions in the realm of tobacco, that of the English Lakeland. Only the finest steamed and stoved bright Virginia is employed, cut into deliciously long ribbons that pack easily and are perfect for slow, relaxed puffing. It is the top casing that truly defines Grouse-Moor, and the sauce used is the very best blend of essences of any that are employed for Lakeland-style aromatics, managing to be floral and herbal and fruity in delicate balance all at the same time. The essence used by Samuel Gawith is a secret blend of all natural components known only to one employee of that historic blending house. I can recall the time that I visited the factory in Kendal and the reverence with which the bottle of Grouse-Moor essence was brought out to be sprinkled onto a batch of leaf to fulfill my request for a pound of Grouse-Moor direct from the factory floor.

Oddly, to me, at least, it is the extra flavoring that people seem to dislike in this blend. The few people that like Grouse-Moor here have attempted to justify it by saying that it has been around for so long that it must be good. I believe there is more to it than that. The floral essence of a Lakeland aromatic is, in my opinion, one of the greatest innovations in the realm of pipe smoking. The specific flavor notes of Lakeland aromatic essences serve to heighten and exemplify the nuances of a fine Virginia and even cut out some of the excessive sootiness to be found in many examples of the leaf, as opposed to German and American style aromatics which only cover up the true tobacco flavor. Consider Earl Grey, among the most popular tea blends in the western world: the oil of bergamot with lavender notes with which the basic Ceylon/Assam blend is laden helps to better marry and mellow the invigorating bitter-sweet flavor of the tea. This is the same sort of relationship of taste that is to be found in Grouse-Moor and so many other fine tobaccos of the Lakeland tradition.

Forgive my rabbiting on for so long, but I have enjoyed this sort of tobacco for years and became tired of listening to a lot of brutes and cads guffawing and casting it aside for 'serious' tobacco. Grouse-Moor is serious tobacco. The Virginia leaf is not only of the finest quality, but also quite strong. The affect of the top dressing is perfect if approached with an open mind. This is a tobacco for real men, and by that I don't mean John Wayne and Mike Hammer, but guys who truly deserve the title like William Wordsworth and Thomas Hardy.

Grousemoor was one of the first blends that I fell in love with as a new pipe smoker. Now, nearly three years later, I still really like it. It is a tobacco that has a very unique taste that is sweet with a strong floral note and I can taste the lemongrass. I think Grousemoor is something you either like or dislike, but I do enjoy this blend, it could be because it is so unique and different from anything else I smoke. This blend doesn't seem to change at all thought out the bowl for me and doesn't have a bite. Reminds me of being in a field of freshly bloomed flowers on a warm spring/summer afternoon.

I had read the reviews, who hasn't? I noted the love or hate people were giving it. Well on opening the can, overpowering smell of flora. But stunning brightly colored tobacco. Lovely packaging. First smoke, super strong flavoring, but creamy smoke. Second and consecutive smokes, super smooth and yummy. This is addictive, like others I am lusting after it and can taste it just by thinking of it. Often it calls my name and I cannot resist. Strangely tastes like a green tea Oral-B toothpaste that is available here in Hong Kong. Thats a good thing, if a slightly acquired taste. Will I buy more - YES, I am addicted. Its 200 years old for a reason. Unique and recommended.

Well, the tin does have a handsome retriever on the front. Otherwise, I am having trouble finding something nice to say about this centuries old blend. It is bland, harsh, burns hot and has a strange top coating that makes the room smell strange and your palate feeling stranger.

This is a very light, fully rubbed out virginia blend. I can see how our great grandfathers could have tolerated this stuff-wasn't much else to choose from back then. Fortunately, tobacco blends have progressed. Grousemoor has not. Still, nice doggie!

Aroma: A mild aromatic, not particularly fruity. The flavoring is an old family secret, and I would not hazard a guess as what is in it. The tobacco characeristics could not be deduced by their aromas. I was unable to tell whether this was because of the flavoring, or the steaming process.

Packing: Easily packs into almost any size pipe. Nice springy feel when pressed, no tendency to harden up on top.

Lighting: The blend lights easily, sometimes needing only one match to start.

Initial flavor: A light fresh flavor, an interesting change of pace for a dedicated Virginia and Oriental smoker like me, but not a typical aromatic. No clue about the primary tobacco, but makes me think it?s a Vrginia or close relative.

Mid-bowl: No real change in flavor or strength. There is some strength (nicotine wise), but the blend is a gentle smoker, as well as dry and cool.

Finish: As expected, the finish is just a tad harsher. Not unusually so, nor unpleasant. The ash was fluffy white.

Summary: An excellent change of pace, which will not goop up your pipe. Neither will it leave an excessive flavor or aroma in the bowl. From the smoking character, it may be deduced that there is no PG present, and that the quality of the leaf is top-drawer.

Never write a review after first impressions! Did usual S.G. ritual-open tin,fluff up, let stand 3 days lid off. Tried first pipe- hated it,burnt paper doused in perfume. Put aside 3 more days, lid off, at least it made a good air freshener. Tied again, now 6 days, lid off. Wow , what a difference. Golden Glow on steroids! Not being an Aro smoker, took me a while to come to terms with the floral taste,but soon became intrigued with the duel going on between the floral and the tobacco taste. Unlike other Aros there is a lovely earthy, malty Virginia taste under the floral and it fights to the top from mid pipe on.

I am trying this blend from an old rusty tin that came to me in a box pass. I had to try it, so I got out a small meerschaum and gave it a go. The Zimbabwe VA is excellent, has some real tobacco taste that transcends through the bizarre casing. The tobacco was fairly moist but was not clogging in the pipe. I am pleases with this aromatic, but wish that I could put my finger on the taste. It has some fruity and earthy quality but not sure what it is. Overall I am pleased to have tried this blend, am glad that I did not buy it, but would have some again if offered. By the way, the doggy on the front of the tin is beautiful.

This tobacco is the reason I try out new blends in a corn cob. The other reviewers who noted the overwelming perfumey taste weren't joking. This is the tobacco version of a wino drinking your grandmother's perfume to get a buzz.

In the pouch it smelled wonderful. Notes of tea and herbs, but once you load your pipe and put flame to tobacco, look out! My wife thought it smelled great, but couldn't smell the over powering perfume. Have you ever accidentaly walked by your wife with your mouth open right after she sprayed on perfumed? That would be preferable to smoking Grousemoor. What was even worse was for the next month, no matter how often I cleaned that pipe, every time I smoked anything in it all I could taste was cheap perfume.

I am not an aromatic person so my apologies for dooming this one! This blend looks great and smells wonderfully but waaaaaayyyy too strong! It reminds me of the Old Spice perfume! When it comes to smoking it has an earthy and heavy floral taste! I bet the casing involved shoveling earth and flora otherwise it just doesn't make any sense! As with all the Gawiths its quite wet and needs some drying. But still it will smell like after shave or creamsoap! If you like herbal staff and you feel adventurous yeah go and buy some. To smoke this (as with the Black Cherry) I had to tame it down with some squadron leader.. I love Gawith flakes and blends but this one it did crossed the line..

I can see how this could be a "love it or hate it" smoke. Personally, I love it. It's not something I could smoke on a daily basis. Frankly, that is a good thing, in my book. It's certainly got a pronounced lemongrass flavor, with no bite for me. I think smoking it every day would cause me to eventually get sick of it. Instead, I appreciate it once in a while for a nice change of pace, even though my tastes range widely (from super-sweet aromatics to the heaviest English blends, and just about everything in between). There certainly isn't another blend out on the market like it. In fact, the closest thing I can think of is an Earl Grey blend I make for a small B&M cigar and pipe place my wife and I own, and even that blend is a good distance apart from this fine blend. Grousemoor is simply one of my favorite pipe smokes of all time. My compliments to the chef.

a serious lakeland tobacco. The 200+ years of production is indeed a good indicator for a quality tobacco pipe tobacco. One of my favourites ribbon virginias, that i dedicate for special moments and smoke for almost 11 years.

I did not know what to expect when I opened the tin, but not this. Cheap perfume, or maybe a floral potpurri. The taste is very dry and the soapy smell fills your mouth. It says aromatic on the lid, and in my vocabulary it means rather sweet VA, maybe toasted burley, cavendish and so. Not this dry perfumed stuff. I really hope that I haven't ruined my thirty year old Peterson.

Yummy yummy stuff this Grousemoor! At first I was put off and punished it by ball jarring it and forgetting I had it for 6 months. After the aging the topping has subsided just a little but enough to make it smoke able. Now after having smoked half a tin I can say this is a delicious Virginia blend with a lemony grassy topping that is actually very refreshing. Even chuffing like a train I didn't get much bite and the nicotine content is very minimal. The topping is one that when you get the acquired taste for it, it becomes addicting!! I find during the day I crave the aroma and taste of Grousemoor, a very intriguing blend. If you don't like it at first, ball jar a tin and come back after 6 months, it will be a totally different beast altogether. I was initially scared reading the reviews that Grousemoor was like Dark Scented Flake or Cannon Plug or 1792 (all very stinky, very tasty, Lakeland blends) but alas Grousemoor is just unusual and has no equivalent. Just picture its 200 years ago, you are hunting or hiking in a sunny but cool Autumn field, a place without cars or planes or cell phones, internet and all that other crap we have now and you light your pipe enjoying the dogs at your feet and the sights and sounds of nature. You can really enjoy taking a trip to the past with Grousemoor, its such a fun smoke!! I could see this being someone's daily smoke as its a no bite Virginia with a nice room note but I prefer a larger Nic hit and a dry Burley but I could smoke this daily without complaint.

This stuff tastes just awful to me. The topping is way over the top. It just seemed to gag me everytime and the ghost on my pallet made everything after that less pleasurable. I gave it about six bowls before passing it on to a forum buddy who likes it.

It is for him and sam gawith I give this 2 stars. For me it is not recommendable.

This blend is an assault on the senses from start to finish. Upon opening the tin, it seems very damp, as seems to be the case with SG. The lemongrass is immediately noticeable, but nothing else really comes through until you smoke it. It's certainly not unsmokably wet straight out of the tin though, so that's what I did. Loaded up a clay tavern pipe, for fear of ghosting a briar if I didn't like it.

Didn't take to light immediately, or stay lit constantly at first, but it certainly wasnt impossible to get going. Again, the lemongrass comes through instantly, but not so overpoweringly so. It is, surprisingly I found, reminiscent of heather covered moors, and I even got a whiff of leather, cream, and vanilla. The good woman noticed heather, but I didn't so much. It's not half as perfumey as it smells, and smokes wonderfully.

All in all, this is a lovely tobacco. The room note was lovely, to the extent that the good woman consented to let me smoke it inside. I wouldn't smoke it if I was walking on the moors, but for sitting in the morning with a nice cup of tea, it was absolutely perfect, and even affected the taste of the tea, but not unpleasantly. I could smoke this day and night and not get bored of it. The only downside was the very end of the bowl was rather bitter, this is the only point the tobacco got overly lemony. Not much nicotine at all either, but I have other tobaccos for that. Will certainly be buying more.

This stuff is gorgeous and addictive (and I don't mean the nicotine). A taste of summer. Hay, slightly floral, citrus and lemongrass as many have said before me. It's not offensive at all in my opinion. Delicate and divine. I can definitely see why this is still being produced 200 years later. My new favourite and a keeper.

This is not really a terrible tobacco. I just can't recommend it to anyone. It is something that is so unusual that I only prefer to smoke it now and then. And if you only smoke it now and then, the contents of the tin turns into sawdust In the future, if I need a burst of the scented Lakeland tobacco, I will stick to Kendall Cream Flake.

This is one of the few aromatics that I can enjoy.It reminds me of Earl Grey tea. I smoke this only occasionally. Its an ok change of pace tobacco. Hit it too hard and it will bite. Sip it, and it will cure your sweet tooth, and its very light in the nicotine department. Give it a try.

Had one to only go by the tin description, you might get the idea that this is an "outdoorsy" tobacco. One for men walking the moors, guns in hand, dogs afield, hunting for grouse. Sadly, that picturesque image is not to be found here.

Think rather of your kindly old Auntie, dressed to go to the Ladies Temperence meeting in the church hall. Floral print dress, sensible shoes, prim hat and gloves, and over-perfumed. Coming to kiss the top of your forehead before she leaves, your eyes nearly water from the cheap toilet water she has bathed herself with.

Thinking there must be some virtue others had missed in this venerable 200 year old blend, I bought a tin. Opening it upon its arrival, I nearly gagged. I was initially unable to smoke it from the overpowering perfuming.

After a few weeks of sitting, I reopened the tin, managed to pack a bowl, and took it outside to smoke. It lit easily, and the perfume subsided after a few puffs. Subsided mind you, not dissapeared. The first half of the bowl was OK at best.

However, something dramatic seems to happen with the second half of the bowl. The perfuming does now seem to disappear, and I am provided with a very fine VA smoke. Very fine indeed, except that my tongue has now been coated with the perfume glop, and I cannot fully appreciate the fine VA for what I can tell it is.

In conclusion, I could not, with good conscience, recommend this to another pipesmoker. How it has earned its venerable history is beyond me.

EDIT 9/6/05: I've tried Grousemoor a few more times since this review, most recently as 3 days ago. I find absolutely no redeeming value in this tobacco, and have downgraded my initial 2 stars to 1. I genuinely cannot figure out how this tobacco has survived for 200 years.

Marketing your product correctly will ensure the success of the brand... The label on the tin and product discription are nothing less than outstanding. However somone may have spilled some cheap French perfume in the blending room. Once in a while I will fill one of my knockaround pipes with this foul weed in hopes that my opinion will change. It hasn't. This is foul weed indeed.

I admit to being nervous before opening my tin of Grouse-Moor. Some of the posts had me fearing the worst. As not to be-foul one of my favorite pipes, I took an old corn cob out of the pipe box in my closet for this one. I opened the tin and it didn't smell bad. Granted, there was no Virginia or latakia to seduce me. There were no orientals here. The leaf was a bright colored ribbon cut. The smell was clean. I read that the leaf in this blend is Zimbabwe, a leaf with which I'm not familiar. Based on the aroma, the closest comparison I could manage would be a cavendish based Danish aromatic, a type of blend I haven't sampled for nearly a decade.

As I packed the cob, I noticed the tobacco was fairly moist. I rolled the leaves in my fingers to break them apart. Even still, I packed this pipe a little too tight, affecting the draw. There was not a lot of flavor as I smoked this bowl down. There were little hints of it here and there. My one complaint of this smoke was the tight draw, which forced me to puff a little harder and smoke a little too hot.

For my next bowlful I chose a double walled porcelain pipe. I was more careful in packing this pipe and the draw was smoother. The Grouse-Moor smoked cool in this pipe and was a little more flavorful than the smoke from the cob. All in all, this tobacco was well suited to this pipe, which is perhaps why the Danish tobacco firms used to sell these pipes with their logos on them.

I was now ready to try this blend in a briar. I chose one of my fathers old pipes since he was a cavendish smoker. I have a number of his pipes that I haven't re-seasoned with my English and Oriental blends. I picked out an unmarked little straight-grain that could best be described as a prince raised by a pack of Dublins. If I didn't originally buy my father this pipe, I at least picked it out for him. This pipe, like the cob, smoked a little hot despite an easy draw. The flavor was neutral. It also smoked very moist.

To be fair, I won't call this a bad tobacco. It just doesn't suit my taste. If you like Danish style aromatics I would recommend trying Grouse-Moor.

Gawith tobaccos seem to be uneven. Some, like BBF, FVF or SL, are very good, in terms of their consistency and of the clarity of their flavour (e.g.: straight Virginia or good, strong Latakia). I find others to have an indefinable quality, in the sense that one does not know exactly what the stuff your smoking is made of.

IMO, Grousemoore (togehter with Perfection) is one of them. It purports to be a kind of Virginia blend, with a slight aroma. I couldn't make out neither. Some reviews question the "soapy" taste of many a British tobacco. In this case, it is not so much a soapy taste, but a sour-sweet concoction that pervades whatever tobacco there may be in this blend, effectivel turning it (at least for me) into something I cannot smoke.

At worst, it reminds me of something called Palladin Black Cherry; at best, it is akin to Erinmore mixture (i.e, a pineapple gone bad).

I love this tobacco. it is such a beautiful golden yellow colour and has an amazing wonderful aroma of honey and wild flowers. Which is also reflected in the smoke. It is a ribbon cut and packs well. A very lovely smoke. Reminds me of summer and the lake and wildflowers at our lake house. I can see how you could love or hate this mixture. It could be little over the top for some. I say try it. It could be. Your new favorite. Peace.

Thought I would wade in with a brief review on this one as to many this is a love it or hate it tobacco and I am of a slightly different opinion.

This is an Aero but probably in a more traditional respect than many that are around today.

On opening the smell is very strong lemon grass type smell, quite perfume like. My tin was really moist, certainly I had to dry it out to avoid regular relights. The problem I found was when you dry it to an extent that it lights and stays lit you loose a little bit of the sweetness.

I don't love it or hate it I am of the opinion it is a real summer smoke, lovely with a nice sweet drink with ice. For me this isn't something I enjoy with tea or coffee on a cold day. The first few puffs should not be used to form an opinion as it's not until a little way into the bowl you really get the full flavour.

Worth pointing out it is very low in nicotine but is a quality tobacco that needs to be tried at least once.

I don't know what to make of this. It really tastes like it was soaked in a chemical bath...not good chemicals mind you. A blend doesn't have to have tons of latakia or stoved VAs for me to like it, but it does have to taste good. The oddly floral aroma and flavoring of this blend were simply...well...very bad and this is being kindly. The worst SG blend I have tried.

I bought a tin to try without knowing anything about it. When I got it, I was quite surprised with what I saw. Pale yellow ribbons and a smell I have never experienced before in a tobacco. I see that the aroma is likened to lemongrass, I find it creamy and yeasty smelling. The tin note is one that I just can't stop smelling. I have nothing like it at all in my library and it is a most welcomed addition. I find it a bit of a chore to light but once done it smokes beautifully. The room note is very much the same as the tin note and a report from the " war department " declare it to be nice. This will definitely stay with my regulars and I would definitely give it a try.

I bought a tin of this, after reading the reviews here and after the tobacco came up in discussions, both IRL and on the net.

I will not elaborate on what is in it, other that it is a rather unique tobacco and you really should give it a try. It will be love or hate and I think every pipesmoker should make up his own mind as to where he will place it. Do yourself a favour and try it on for size, or atleast do a joint buy of a tin with friends. I took one bowl, was stunned and can see this finding itself a regular place in the tobacco storage.

Nice mild tobacco with a medium to full flavor of sweet Virginia and a very pleasant undetone and tast of lemon. The tobacco burns down to a fine white ash. You can smoke it fast or slow and no bite. If you enjoy Virgina and do not want to sip the pipe but smoke it without fear of bite, this is for you. SG is a qulity brand and this blend is a fine example; will be on my rotation

The lightest Lakeland tobacco. This sits at the other end of the spectrum from Condor. As such one might recommend it as an introduction to British "scented" tobaccos, but I wouldn't. To light, too easy to get it burning hot, not enough taste to keep you interested. Try something a bit richer like St Bruno first of all. It's not really my cup of tea, I prefer my virginias pressed and cooked into flake. Perhaps I'll try the Grousemoor Plug next time.

The smoke - lights easily, but the taste while lighting isn't so nice, quite ashy and thin. Once it gets going it's alright, a very mild flavour with a slightly soapy taste coming through, doesn't bite although it probably could if tempted. Smoke it gently so it doesn't become too hot. The flavour doesn't really develop, indeed it doesn't have much flavour to speak of. It's just there in the background. People enjoy the aroma - it's not vanilla or fruit like a Dutch aromatic, it smells like tobacco but sweeter and more pleasant to non smokers.

Aftertaste - soapy, slightly ashy.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++Edit+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

It's perhaps worth mentioning that this tobacco is not unlike the Erinmore mixture. A bright Virginia ribbon with a generous ammount of a sweet scent applied. Those who enjoy the Erinmore mixture will no doubt enjoy this, and vice versa, however if you find the scents overwhelming when applied to very mild ribbon cut tobaccos, perhaps best give this one a miss.

This is such a weird flavour, totally unique and a typical love it or hate it tobacco. Tin aroma, taste, room note is identical - shades of green tea, jasmine, lemongrass, hay/grass, mushrooms, patchouli ... It's much too good base material to bash it, but not an everyday smoke, I think. 3.5 of 5 stars - this is probably the most subjective tobacco on the market.

I originally tried Grousemoor because I was intrigued by a blend that has survived throughout so many generations of pipe smokers. While that by itself doesn't mean it's a great blend, I hoped that anything that's been around this long must have something special. At least for my particular taste, that turned out to be true. I've cellared quite a bit of this and continue to replenish as it has become part of my regular rotation.

As pretty much every reviewer has said, Grousemoor is a very unique blend. While I have tried other Lakelands since, I really haven't found another like it. It is subtle and strange, with both perfume and grass flavors that do remind me of Spring. To me, the taste is a somewhat acidic (perhaps what other reviewers have better described as citrus) and has very little to no sweetness. It's a fairly light smoke and finishes dry in the bowl.

While I highly recommend this blend, it really is one of those you either love or hate. There doesn't seem to be much of a middle ground here.

Firstly I would like to apologize because I bought it thinking that it contained latakia, without doing any research. I was wrong in composition, but not to the quality. Virginia with a very distinctive aroma of flowers and plum or fig. What matters to me is that it retains its aroma and flavor all the way to the end of the bowl. I was also surprised by how clean my pipe was after smoking. Fills the bowl and lights easily, not very heavy. I forgot to mention that is a major problem. It is very humid when opened (probably the most humid tobacco I've ever smoked) and it needs a lot of patience in the drying process. I will order 2-3 tins to keep in store and occasionally smoke, making an aromatic break.

A blend of bright and brown Virginia grades with Latakia, matured under pressure in the Cavendish style and blended with golden Virginia Broad Cut.Slow burning with a cool and gentle smoke

I waited a while 'of time before writing this review, this formula seems very split opinions. Not only that, even if we have a clear perception of the fact whether we like it or not, it seems that in describing the unique flavoring of it each one of us is able to intercept something else: someone feels the scent of violet, some lavender, rosemary etc ... For example, I can find something that points out the root of gentian ... The end result, however, is a faithful reproduction of a flowering heather!

For me, I belong to the group of those who do not like this blend, although this I feel a great respect for the "burden of history" and the "concept", so I recommend you try it at least once in your life.

my first experience with a lakeland . I was surprised on opening the tin the aroma was quite strong but not as floral as others have noted. i had read the reviews of fellow pipesters and expected a tuna hot dog but instead found a cool burning easy tobacco but did not impress or dissapoint someone said a april smoke i agree clean and dry with white ash and liked it better toward the bottom of the bowl not my every day smoke but interesting and a nice change with a blend that has history and mystery

I agree completely with Jaybee's tuna flavored hot-dog comment, except that for me, this is a Cannon plug-dog. I was really hoping for a Sam Gawith version of Kendal flake or Ennerdale, with Sam's great VA components and a bit of the old floral thing.

Well, this is something entirely different. The tobaccos used are first class, of course, but the topping is (I'm guessing) the same honeydew of Cannon, just Much less heavily applied. The result is pretty good. It's sweet, mild, incensey, but it does bite a little. (A lot in the wrong pipe). This isn't something I'll buy a lot of, because it wasn't what I wanted exactly, but it is a quality scented smoke. I can see this having a very loyal following like some other weirdly flavored tobaccos. (Royal Yacht and Lamb Cake Slices come to mind.)

If you thought about trying Cannon plug, try this first. Even if it's not the same topping, it will give you an idea.... (Just kick it to the 10th power.)

Strangely, I do love a good salmon burger, so maybe I'll try and make me a tunadog. Thanks Jaybee!

Well I...uh..the thing is...well. Friends and acquaintances would tell you that I'm not normally at a loss for words; that is until now. I'm not sure that I have the vocabulary to describe this. My smoking preferences are pretty democratic and the taste of this is not bad, just somehow disjointed...sort of like biting into a hot dog and tasting tuna....Now if you're used to tuna-flavored hot dogs, this wouldn't be such a bad thing. The virginia is top notch, but the flavoring is so strange I can't help but think my tastebuds have gone south. The good thing is, if you ever start to stray from some of your favorites, just have a bowl of this and it will send you right back. This one's on my short list of experiences not to repeat in the near future.....my apologies to those who seem to love this blend. Two stars for historical significance, unusual taste and longevity.

A very grassy tobacco. If you like tea and herbs this is probably a wonderful choice for you. I drink black coffee. It has a wonderful aroma and a very unique taste. Similar to No 7 by Germain but better.This is definitely for the curious types. I'm not that curious anymore. 2.5 of 4 stars for surviving 2 centuries and not tasting like ERINMORE.

I foolishly picked Grousemoor up because it looked like the sort of tobacco one might smoke while hiking. I've been trying various blends to find one that will work well in a small pipe while hiking in Alaska. This ain't it! Maybe it has some good qualities, but in spite of the cover showing men wandering the moor, it is NOT a good idea to shove a wad in your hiking pipe and light up. I was badly burned and the taste overpowered me, I tried to puff more lightly but when moving over rough country with my hands full of a stick, a shotgun and a dog that's not very easy. I'm going to come back to it later after I heal. Maybe it would work well in something with a long, long stem.

Old fashioned stuff, smells of burnt figs or prunes. I'll take it to the dump to mask the odor...not my style! This poor stuff required 7 pipe cleaners to keep my Sasieni from gurgling, and as many relights. I cry foul at the moistness and perfume of this weed. I then proceeded to smoke a bowl of Three Friars (see review) and thought it was so refreshing to have something from last century to contrast! Now that stuff is good!

Despite my tastes for stiff Balkans, my Gemini heritage forces me to crave a lightly flavored tobacco from time to time. I'm not a fan of full aromatics under any conditions, in fact I don't even like to be in the vicinity. That being said, I find the flavoring in this blend to be very inviting and another one of those that I enjoy from time to time. Other reviewers have noted a fine VA under the topping and I agree.

As I do with a few others, I always rub half from the pressed tin into another container. Also, it's important to not pack this too tightly as one would an uncased VA or it will be a steamy blow torch. My pleasure has been hightened by paying particular attention to packing this properly and smoking it in tall narrow bowls. It smokes fast due to it's thin ribbon cut, so I puff slowly. Every once in a while, I crave it ... so it has made it to my second shelf as a before dinner smoke when entertaing. Too mild for after meal.

Neither fish nor fowl. I doubt the light dusting of floral taste and scent here will appease the Lakeland afficionado, while it will most likely deter the Virginia smoker out experimenting. Smoked slowly, this tobacco is sweet and cool, and most, not all, of the flavoring agent dissipates after about a third of a bowl. I don't mind this tobacco, too much, although I don't care for the floral taste. I may smoke a bowl here and there in the future, but I won't stock this, and at the rate I'm smoking it, my second 50-gram tin seems likely to last the rest of my natural life.

This tobacco is one of those,"love it or hate it", types. Grouse Moor,(GM) is made up of African Virginia leaf, mostly light in color with a fleck of brown sometimes seen. The cut is a long ribbon,and packs well and lights well too. I had to re-light only one time, and it stayed lit well down to the end. The taste of this tobacco is rather odd, and the room aroma is weird as well,but on the good side of weird. I've never smoked a tobacco that tastes like the after-shave used in old time barber shops but this one taste like that. If anyone wonders what that mysterious aromatic agent is in a lot of British tobaccos,including this one, it's Meadow Foam Seed Oil. The first time I smoked GM I almost knocked it out of my pipe after the first few draws. I could'nt believe someone would make a mixture so odd. I kept smoking the pipe and the tobacco kept getting better. The more I went the better it tasted.Wow what good tobacco taste! Mid way down the bowl it transforms into true tobacco taste with that Brittish style flavouring that really shines here. Further down the bowl GM turns into a sweet virginia that leaves you ready to fill up the bowl again and do it all over. I didn't think I would like GM, but I've made it a part of my daily balanced diet. This is a scented type plug,cut into ribbon form so If you don't fancy the Brittish style flavouring stay away. GM does burn without being sticky and cloying,and does not leave any odd taste in the pipe.Good tobacco flavour here. In a rating of one to ten I'd give this one a 6. And the British flavouring agent that everyone wonders about,is Meadow Foam Seed Oil. This flavouring agent is used in several things,from tobacco to lip balm.

Spring in the air? MMM, that's what I was waiting for, well something arrived. The tobacco is a golden hue, from the processing I believe and a mixture of flavor, wasn't sure of the mixture, couldn't put my finger on it, certainly not to be compared to the english "soapy" flavor. I haven't read anything positive about this blend, and so I waited, and waited, until the time was right. The tobacco needed some air, that is a long flight from Cumbria, anyway, packed well and charring took off. A mixture of flavors is right, with each puff I detected something different, not the moor, or even dogs on the moor, well I proceeded to smoke and wait,mmmmm, nothing yet, halfway down, ok, almost a candy essence, something not familar with most, I'm sure, well I'm approaching the bottom and with the exception of cornicopia of flavors, out, that's it. The tobacco burns well, and it looks good too, but this isn't a tobacco beauty contest. This will be good for some, but it's not english, in the traditional sense, and not a scented flake. You be the judge.

This is a very nice, medium Virginia from S. Gawith, one which I enjoyed very much. While I normally prefer darker, flake-style Virginias, the flavors and complexity of this blend won me over. If you enjoy flavorful, well-blended Virginias without bite, I suggest that you try some of this. The aroma in the bag is very mild, faintly sweet and caramel-like with very faint notes of spice - all resting on a base of a medium, dry tobacco smell. The leaf itself is mixed in color, medium and lighter brown strands with some darker pieces thrown in. The cut is very long; most of the strands are 6" or more in length! This makes packing difficult, especially in a narrow pipe bowl (Roughly like stuffing spaghetti into a beer bottle.). My sample came fairly dry and took fire quickly, burning through a bowl with an average number of relights needed. In the first third of the bowl, the flavor is “average”, a nice, medium Virginia taste. There is a friendly, mild tobacco sweetness present, and a very faint, variable spice note. The overall effect is one of flavorful, high-quality Virginia tobacco, neither dark nor light, and with good complexity and richness. There is no real bite in this part, and the smoke is fairly cool and bone dry. In the second third, the flavor has moved a bit toward the dark side, and the complexity is still present. The sweetness is not as strong, but the spice note is still there, most noticeable when the smoke is exhaled through the nose. I wouldn't call this a dark smoke, but it is much darker than Brighton or Cardiff from Esoterica. It is very interesting, with many different flavors to enjoy on the palate; I'd call it a "brown" taste. There are no moisture problems at this point, and the smoke is still bite-free. In the last third of the bowl, the sweetness is getting stronger again, while the tobacco flavor remains mostly the same. It does continue to develop somewhat, especially in a narrow, deep bowl, and the complexity has increased. The bottom of the bowl is the best part: the flavor is excellent, and the lack of bite or moisture leaves noting to complain about. It smokes clean and dry right to the ashes, which I was sucking before I knew it. Overall, I enjoyed this tobacco very much. While not as dark and rich as the Virginia flakes I usually smoke, it was nevertheless an excellent, flavorful, complex blend with no bite or moisture problems. I plan to smoke more of this in the future, and have already ordered a tin. Virginia lovers should definitely try this one!

I always find Grousemoor a pleasant smoke. It is literally the first aromatic I ever smoked, and while I was hesitant to try it, I was pleased upon doing so.

I, and those around me, find the room note very pleasant. Being aromatic, it can bite at the sinuses if not smoked at a proper pace, but never has a harsh mouth-feel or taste. The tin aroma is among my favorites. I would not use Grousemoor in making any of my own blends, but it is a pleasing and reliable out-of-the-tin smoke.

I had huge hopes for this, such a great tin note of hay and grass and fruits of various kinds, but my doubts started by how sticky and wet the tobacco was. I got it dry enough to try some, and this did such strange things to my pallet that I could barely finish. Irish Oak did the same to me, I don't know if I have the problem or what, but this gave me horrifying dry-mouth and the aroma almost made my eyes water.

Its a sharp, sour and very tangy and strange aroma. People beside me in the lounge I was in said it smelled rancid almost, such an odd experience. I can't really explain it that well, but it smells like gone-off fruit mixed with cider or something. This was the greatest example I've ever had of the tin note betraying the actual flavor.

This ghosted my pipe so much that I almost needed to bring it somewhere for severe cleaning.

Get a cheap pipe and get a sample before you pay SG prices for a tin. Also, dry it out until its almost crackling, smoking this wet will remove your ability to taste for a day.

Over the years as I would shop online for a new pipe tobacco, I would always hesitate when I saw the artwork on the Grousemoor. I was always intrigued by the description but then after I read the reviews here I would decide against trying it. I finally took the plunge a month ago. I figured it is an old blend so I should at least try it. When the tin arrived I fell in love with the artwork when finally seeing it up close. I was excited when I opened it up for the first time and took a whiff...mmm wow, what is that scent..sort of like lemon cream? Then I packed a bowl. wow, now I understand the tin art. I'm going to buy a couple more tins. Good stuff. I'm glad I ignored the reviews and tried it myself. If any of you still have your tins send em to me.

Sam Gawith Grousemoor . This one really filled me with great anticipation as it gets such a wide reaction , mainly "love or hate" ! When I open mine I can see that the ribbons are quite robustly built and 100% Virginia , on the negative side I can also gather it utilises a poor quality synonymous with Sam Gawith , it is too damp so requires some extra airing ! When I have got it lit I am very perplexed as to whether or not this is one for me which is strange as I normally find Sam Gawith blends exemplary ! Plus points first , the burn is quite even and the smoke given off is not too hot . Vitamin N is of a super amount for me and if I try to inhale it is very easy on the throat . Now a few "not so good" points , and sadly I do find a few ! Flavour , it is a very peculiar taste , although it has a supposed melange of added flavours there appears to be one over-riding taste , Lemon , this is far too predominant in the mix and masks any other flavours to the point where I cant comment on any of them ! Tongue bite is fairly harsh with this , even if sipped at a slow pace it is still there and because of the strong Lemon taste bullying the other flavours if I smoke a little more enthusiastically as to ascertain an opinion of them then the extra zeal only exacerbates the tongue bite . Room note , this is quite pleasant (to be fair) as it is quite a gentle one with a certain "freshness" to it which is propitious for anyone around who dislikes the smell of a pipe . Ghosting ?... again bad , a few bowls of this in your favourite briar will make anything you smoke in it afterwards taste like a Lemsip drink for a Cold !! From my point of view this takes decadence to a new level , but if you want to try a Lemon aromatic then I think this is fairly eminent in that department , alas it is not for me !

I love the aroma of this blend both in the tin and in the smoke. Unfortunately it does not carry over into the flavor category. The taste of this blend is very mild, nearly unnoticeable. This tobacco smokes a bit on the hot side and leaves the tongue feeling a bit leathery. Still unlike most aromatics it smokes dry and I appreciate that. Grousemoor is a decent blend and a good choice if you want a light smoke and good comments on the side-stream from those around you.

The tin aroma does not deliver the level of lemon grass that you get in the smoke. The lemon grass has a medicinal quality to it (perhaps oil essence base) that adds an interesting twist to the very good base tobacco. Definitely a pleasant switch-up. Through the bowl the flavor has anise and tea notes to it, which, overall, transcends the base tobacco. Lit well, smoked clean. 3+ stars.

Upon opening this tin, which was a gift from my wife, I was fully prepared to be disgusted. I always appreciate it when my wife supports my expensive hobby, so I had to oblige. The tin smells of sweet lemon grass, as advertised. To me, it does not smell anything like pipe tobacco. But then I lit it up. I have to say I was pleasantly surprised. This is unlike any tobacco that I have in my collection. It is a very nice out of the ordinary smoke that I now use to shake things up from my usual routine. The room note is very pleasant, which makes the wife happy. I love the art on the tin, and as an avid bird hunter, that probably has some positive bias for me. I don't smoke this often, and I have to be in the right mood for it. Its something that I reserve for special occasions, and I would recommend it as a nice change of pace, but not an everyday lineup smoke.

I have certain pipe smoking friends whom I would highly recommend this blend. I love it, but realize that it is far too out there for some. It is a nice ribbon cut VA with some crazy floral lemongrass and ginger casing in addition to soapy lakeland goodness. If that is your think, this blend will not disappoint. It's weird, but sometimes I like to embrace the weird. I'm already through a few tins of it.

Can aroma is pure delight - soft lemon piquancy, musty, leafy, smoky nuttiness and light Demerara. Comes fairly compressed in the can so you need to rub it out to a looser consistency. Seems a bit damp right from the can but rubbed out and packed right it stays lit quite well. Wonderful lemony-citrus base to the taste, some cocoa and light naturally sweet herbal tones - a great smoke that NEVER bites and is mild enough for a few consecutive bowls. Room scent is pleasant enough but has a distinct sweet Virginia aroma. One of my go - to smokes.

The thought of a strongly cased lemon smoke made my ears prick up so I took the plunge. I cant believe none of you can taste the ginger in this. It is Ginger-Lemon-Honey in that order. It even has the piquancy of ginger in the mouth. Just thought I'd warn you. Contrary to what many have said, there are ZERO 'Lakeland' flavourings in this one. If I knew it tasted of ginger, I would not have bought it. Not my cup of tea at all but it's smokable i.e. not dump-the-bowl-immediately bad. I've only smoked one pipe of it so far so will update later when I've given it a fair go.

I've tried the bulk Grousemoor and the tinned version and found them to be different. The bulk contained very broad pieces of leaf ... some an inch or more across. This version smoked best after having been coarsely minced with my chef's knife. The smoke was cool and even. The flavor popped with grassy freshness which I think was deer's tongue, a wild-growing non-tobacco condiment leaf; delicious. When the bulk was no longer available to my tobacconist, I tried the tinned blend and thought it was flat. I tried only that one tin.

Grousemoor didn't really impress. I think it's one of those tobacco's that has to be enjoyed in the right scenario, maybe a winter walk throughout the forest or on a shoot, but apart from that it's a very strange flavour that doesn't seem to "fit in" with daily rotation. Mine consists of a sweet aromatic in the morning, pure VA in the afternoon and full English after dinner. Smoke a few bowls with an open mind, happy piping!

This simply does not suit my taste in tobacco. The tim aroma, or bag in this case smells exactly like the inside of a walk in cigar humidor; not a bad smell. That was the pinnacle for me, as things went downhill fast from there. The taste of Grousemoor could not be more gross! If you have ever smelled the slightly sour fermentation process of corn silage, it is a dead ringer for the taste. I grew up on a dairy farm, and I don't find that specific smell offensive, its just not what I am looking for in pipe tobacco. I may have ruined a very nice vintage Custom Built pipe with this tobacco.

To those who love Grousemoor send me your address and I'd be happy to drop the better part of 2 ounces in the mail for you! I would like to verify that you are over 18 years old first.

I'm always reticent to buy a new tin as there is no way to know what the tobacco is like before you open it. I was intrigued by the polarized reviews here and decided to try it for myself. The tin note was surprising, it smells more like lemon zest tea than tobacco. It is packed a little on the moist side but still smokeable straight from the tin. The tobacco has a light color, like untreated burley and a velvety texture. It packed easily and lit successfully after a charring light. The flavor begins as a mixture of nutty sweetness and slight hints of lemon. As the bowl progresses, the tobacco flavor takes a backseat to the lemon topping. This is where the magic begins. By the time I was five minutes into the bowl the flavor was a light and slightly bitter lemon, reminiscent of hot tea with lemon zest in it. The flavors are pronounced enough to be detectable and identifiable but not overwhelming or cloying. This begs to smoked with a cup of tea and some ginger snaps. I've been smoking it comfortably all day (and maintaining a healthy nicotine buzz too!). I could see smoking this first thing in the morning, after a meal, or while out and about. This will go into my daily rotation and will be a staple for pheasant hunting expeditions. It is a rare day that I know I will finish a tin of tobacco after the first bowl, this was such a day. Give it a go with an open mind and you'll be pleasantly surprised!

Absolutely fantastic. If possible I will always have a tin of this on hand. Lemon grass may be the most identified odor or flavor, but I cannot list all of the flavors I've experienced with this fine premium tobacco. Everything from sweet hay to french fries. The easiest explanation is that it tastes like early summer. Burns extremely clean, with a light fluffy ash. I most enjoy it and find it tastes best out my cob pipe dedicated to Grousemoor alone.

Tin note like Granny's Lemon Verbena. Taste startes of lemony, turns mildly floral, remains slightly sweet. Burns cleanly, but can gurgle. Long slow rhythm puffing brings it out best, like with other SGs. I agree with the other fellas - give it a chance and it can become addictive! No wonder it's been around for 200 years. I'm keeping this as a go to.

First impressions: the pleasant citrus aroma is barely detectable as a grassy flavor in the smoke. The Virginia ribbons have a lovely orangish yellow color. Room note is unremarkable, inoffensive, but not especially pleasant. It is not a very sweet smoke, but neither is it savory: just rather mild.

There is a moderate amount of nicotine, and it is easy to come by. Since there is no tongue bite, the mild flavor tends to encourage over-puffing.

Like many SG light aromatics, it is an acquired taste, a taste I have no wish to acquire. But I can understand why a small number might become devoted to Grousemoor.

Update, January 2013: Now I know why this blend has been around for two centuries. The tin aroma is captivating. The mild flavor and moderate nicotine become pleasantly addictive. I'll upgrade to three stars and put in an order for more. A perfect morning blend. It is somewhat dependent on finding the right pipe for it, working better for me in a churchwarden.

I cannot and will not attempt to duplicate several other excellent and detailed reviews of Grousemoor..... Suffice it to say I was intrigued by the love it or hate it nature of this blend and decided to take a flier on a tin....... Now let me state categorically....I am NOT an aromatic smoker.....no, not me. So now I have this guilty pleasure of sneaking into my tin of this stuff and neglecting my usual rotation of Da Vinci and AJ's VaPer.....all because of this bloody addicting Grousemoor! I opened my pouch tonight after lodge to load up the pipe and the other pipe smokers all ooh-ed and aah-ed over the fragrance and loved the room note. I honestly think this might be my desert island tobacco........and now, I have truly become a heathen. Curse you Grousemoor!! Update: The only problem is finding this deliciously addicting blend......everyone seems to be out of the bulk.....

I couldn't stand this blend the first time I smoked it. The second time I tried it I knew what to expect and it was much better. This is now my "walking around town" tobacco, and I never go anywhere without it.

this was very disappointing . it smelt like cleaning fluid in the tin and burned wet when you could actually get it alight .ive tried several gawith tobaccos and i havent liked any of them but they have been around longer than i have so people obviously like their products- just not to my taste.

Interesting blend. It took me the entire tin to decide if I even liked it, let alone to have any real thoughts about it. Light in color and citrusy in tin aroma with a wide ribbon cut, I'd say "lemon grass" is reasonably accurate. It definitely had a citrus flavor that was not intrusive. I suppose this is SG's take on the "floral" flavorings that G&H excels at. This one was far from the best that G&H offers, but it was a decent blend.

The flavoring was subdued and the tobaccos seemed muted as well. Very unassertive. G&H's florals often make better use of both the flavoring and the underlying tobaccos than this one does. I got the feeling that SG used tobacco of lesser quality for this blend, and may have felt that such leaf would be lost when flavored. By comparison, G&H uses top drawer tobaccos that are robust and flavorful on their own. Consequently, this one seemed more dull than it could have been. The concept was intriguing to me, as a huge fan of a lot of G&H tobaccos. Then again, each blend should be taken on its own merits. So on its own, this one seemed mild, a bit bland, unfulfilled and unfulfilling. However, it does have a nice pleasant flavor and can be recommended for someone who finds Lakeland flavorings too heavy and prefers a more subdued version.

Indeed this is an odd blend. Not generally an aromatic smoker, I thought I would give this blend a try none-the-less. I was pleased that the casing wasn't heavy or syrupy, but it certainly was odd. A perfume/lemon sent with a taste that reminded me of an ill spent summer drinking Mike's Hard Lemonade. The tobacco burned well all the way to the bottom and overall it was a nice change of pace.

Though I probably won't buy this again for quite sometime, I am glad I had the chance to try this very different blend.

Hello. I'm sorry but this tobaco is really not subtile. First the tobbaco itself is not so good and the aroma is just like chewing a bad gum with strange chimical aroma. I'm quite disapointed by SG more i taste the tobaco they do. One aromatic in the same kind that is really successfull is the Black and Gold from Robert mc connell, with a really good virginia and a nice and subtile aroma. Sorry for my english for the native english speakers. Un excellent vomitif matinal ce grousemoor. Beark!

I'm really liking this one. I bought it on a whim when I found some of the less popular Samuel Gawith blends on a pipe site for the old-school price of $6.95 a tin. I have to admit I've been on a Lakeland kick lately. I like unflavored, pure Virginias as well. Those who are turned off by the stronger scents found in certain SG and especially GH offerings should avoid this blend!

I am now "ghosting" a classic Yello-Bole from 1933-1936 that I went through a lot of trouble to clean up and have decided to dedicate to Lakelands exclusively. The topping, believe me, is rather strongly present, and reminds me most of that of SG Cannon Plug. Lemon Grass, my ass! Maybe it's in there, I don't know, but the toppings of Grousemoor and Cannon Plug both remind me of Patchouli incense. My dear brother (who is a RYO smoker but interested in my pipe hobby) gets figs from it, and I can sort of see it. Doubt there is any fig in there though.

I'm not good enough to distinguish the exact type of Virginia used beneath all that scent, but probably light African Virginia from Zimbabwe just like they said. Perhaps it is the same for the Cannon Plug I compared the topping with. All I know is that I'm smoking the hell out of it. Goes well with a nice hoppy...beer.

Burns well, smokes well, no fuss. I really should have bought more than two tins, and will be on the lookout for more. The first tin is going fast...

What a strange tobacco! While not as strongly flavored as some might lead you to think, and certainly not in a disgusting/intrusive way like some other classic Lakeland/English Virginia blends, it sure is quizzical!

It's a mixture of fine golden Virginias (rather moist in the tin), flavored with a blend of aromas which escape definition. It's NOT soapy, not exactly flowery, but rather sweet/citrusy. Lemon, bergamot (Earl Grey tea!), pineapple, a hint of roses, honey, licorice... and more. Hey, even a slight hint of what reminds me of fresh perspiration from the skin of a lovely scented beautiful girl! The flavoring, in the tin, is not subtle but neither it is overwhelming: it's very appealing, and beautifully integrated with the natural smell of Virginia. Certainly not as strongly flavored as Erinmore, St Bruno or some weird soapy/talcum flavored stuff I've had in the past from Gawith & Hoggarth and which luckily I have almost forgotten.

Does this translate to the smoking experience? Actually not very much. There IS a hint of freshness and of the same aroma, but rather in a subtle way. The smoke is not the sweetest or fruitiest I have ever had from a Virginia, actually it tastes rather dry and neautral. A bit bland, too. This blandness can lead you to overpuffing, making it even blander and less sweet, and making it seem stronger nicotine-wise than it actually is. Be careful, because the high moisture and stringy ribbon cut can lead to packing the bowl a bit too tight resulting in a bad draw.

This scenario does actually change a bit after a couple of weeks from opening the tin. While it doesn't get dry too easily, some airing removes part of the flavoring, and a buttery sweetness like brioches/croissants comes out both in the unlit tobacco aroma and in the smoking experience.

Do I like it? Well, there's nothing to really be excited about. It's not spectacular, it doesn't give me the deep satisfaction of (to stay in the same brand) Best Brown Flake, but it's not offensive. In spite of the flavoring, almost no bothersome ghosts left in the pipe and certainly no "yuck" reaction. A honest smoke, subtle and elegant, quite different from anything else. While not particularly fond of this style, I can see myself having a bowl of it once in a while just for a change of pace.

Give it a try... even just for curiosity. You may fall in love with it: I didn't, it's a bit bland in taste for me (especially from a fresh tin), but I understand where its peculiar charm may lie and will probably revisit it once in a while.

If you found yourself mooching around in a Maiden Aunt's drawers, erm, dresser, the scents of this baccy would not be unfamiliar: I found them to be a mix of a) patchouli oil, b) bath salts (and not expensive ones either), and c) palma violets (children's candy from way back when). This 'mix' of scents proved overwhelming for this palate, though that is a subjective viewpoint entirely my own.

It is a nice looking brightly coloured baccy of obvious quality. It packs and burns easily, if slightly hot in the bowl. There is an overwhelming note of intense lemon curd with an acrid chemical bite to it...but after a while, there is a peculiar sweetness that begins to emerge. I'm sure it will appeal to some more discerning palates, but not to mine.

Not sure I should be reviewing this now as I am still not sure what to make of it, even after smoking a full tin. I was wide-eyed with anticipation upon first opening the packet and getting a waft of lemongrass that, at first, made me think of cola cubes. Such a pleasantly sweet aroma promised more treats within, perhaps giving me the anticipation of a more lemony, sweeter version of SG's fantastic Squadron Leader.

Continuing bravely on, I found the packing very easy, as it usually is with a good ribbon such as this, as was the lighting. I could not, with both the first puff and every smoke since, decide exactly what I was getting from this. The room note was pleasantly unmemorable and the taste in the mouth, well, what was it? Hints of a less sweet lemongrass? Maybe, can't really put my finger on it. All the way through the tin, I don't remember a single pipeful that really made me sit back and go "Ah!", even with tonguebite, which it seems to be completely lacking. Maybe a dash of it might have actually made me sit up and pay attention in class.

I am going to have to buy another tin because I need to find out what this tobacco is really like, maybe I'll have to buy two to be sure. Until then, I guess three stars will have to do. It's not ball-breakingly bad, it's not even bland. It does, however, lack that punch of flavour that I have come to expect of SG.

Update 29/02/2012: Just finished another tin and, oh may I say, I think I missed out first time round. This tin was a little damper than my first, which I think makes all the difference. What was a good tobacco has become a fine one. That taste of lemon sponge cake is just fantastic, that fruit flavour comes through so much better. It does take a few relights however, but it is worth it. This is a good tobacco dry, and a great one damp, hence the extra star.

Having enjoyed Grousemoor Plug, I set out on the long journey to find a rarely available tin of Grousemoor Mixture. Having finally found a couple of tins I set off to make the inevitable comparison between the plug and the mixture. The mixture has a much stronger floral scent in the pouch, typical of most Lakeland aromatics. While the plug has somewhat of a “baked cookie” taste with the florals further in the background, the mixture shares the similar taste of cookies with a much more forward floral scent. (Yes, I know it sounds a little silly and I seldom compare tobacco to food). The tobacco found in most Lakeland style blends is of high quality and it really comes down to whether or not the smoker finds the casing appealing, so Grousemoor will likely be a love or hate blend for most pipers. Be sure to have a pipe set aside for Grousemoor because it will leave a ghost in your briar. For me, it won't be an everyday blend, but I will keep some around as a nice change of pace. Recommended.

Very interesting. The tin has a unique aroma, sweet tomato and zesty lemon,grass, faint fig and floral. It smelled like an English but after the Virginia passes, were the latakia back note would be, there is a subtle flowery/grassy note. My tin didn't have any moisture issues, the tobacco was ready to go. It has a wonderful flavor to the smoke, very smooth and creamy with a decidedly prominent lakeland floral finish. It's really tasty! Not a bad smoke…but it does leave a rather unwelcome taste in ones mouth. The after taste it left in my mouth was an experience all to its self. If you could take the tin smell, mix it with spit and old tobacco ash…that's the taste you would get. It has hints of chemical and lemon. That after taste was strange to experience, it was easily twice as strong as most blends. It's regrettabl, as the smoke is so enjoyable, but I have to give it two stars as there are other blends that are just as tasty but don't leave that nasty after taste.

This is one of the first blends I have bought as a result of comments left on this site - along with knowing which types of tobacco I prefer.

I can see this is a tobacco will divide opinion with some loving, some hating and very few neutral opinions. When I first opened the tin I was disappointed by the aroma. It really does smell strongly of Lemon Grass and I thought I may have made an error buying a tin rather than a smaller sample size.

However, once in the pipe and lit, I was really surprised by how different it tasted. Proof again that the smell from the tin isn't always a good guide to smoking taste. The blend has a soft and smooth taste with not too much nicotine. Some have described this blend as "soapy" or "oily" and I can see why they would use those words. I would prefer to call it "creamy" or "velvet" as I enjoy the sensation.

It is not easy to describe the flavour as you smoke. Sort of, Lemon Tea, but not quite. Maybe an English style sponge cake with a delicate flavour. This is certainly more subtle than many of the aromatics I smoke with the casing adding a little back note rather than being to the forefront of the taste. It certainly seems to contain good quality Virginia tobacco that has a modest extra flavour added.

If the thought of "soapy" smoke turns you off then avoid this blend. But if you like the idea of a rich and creamy taste, then I would suggest you try a couple of bowls of Grousemoore.

Its easy to describe the character of Grousemoor as it has already been done in many of the outstanding reviews here. Easy to pack and light, burns cool and dry to the bottom of the bowl. Quality leaf that tastes exactly like it smells.

However, I find The flavors and aroma of Grousemoor so undeniably unique, it's paradox like qualities must be experienced firsthand by all of ones senses because it truly defies any definitive description using words alone. Smoking this is a refreshing perpetual adventure.

Very distinctive yet Complex and elusive. As familiar as conversing with an old friend, as comfortable as an old pair of shoes, while at the same time being a seductive mystery remaining just out of the grasp of comprehension.

I loved it from the first bowl and it has continued to grow on me and yet elude me for years, keeping me right on the fringe of craving it just enough to keep it in my weekly rotation and a few tins and some of the bulk version tucked away and always on hand.

DubintheDam's YouTube recommendation compelled me to seek out Samuel Gawith's Grousemoor. It was hard to find in the US, so I ordered from Mr. Snuff in Scotland at about the same price I would get it for in my home state. The tin was really warped, and the paper lining stained, so I think the tin may have been on the shelves awhile. In any case, it was not too damp, lit easily, burned dry to white ash, and gave off impressive smoke. It's the first non-sweet aromatic I have tried. The packed tobacco looks like cork. Ribbons are cut long but rather wide. The taste of this blend is old. Not Winston Churchill old -- maybe King George III old. Maybe older. It tastes the way I expected Ruins of Isengard or Shortcut to Mushrooms to taste. Unlike those two blends, Grousemoor seems authentic. Like an old castle I once stayed at in Rothenburg. Three-and-a-half of four stars, on my own personal scale, which translates here as three stars, for now.

Some years ago I purchased half dozen 50g tins of this blend, fully expecting something else. I didn't like it straight out and ended giving away most of it, except a tin that I sealed in plastic wrap and set aside to age. A month ago I opened it, transferred it to a humidor flask and started smoking it. Although improved, I still find it truly deceptive and disapointing. The taste has a chemical tang to it; the flavor is -how to put it- rancid? The expected VA sweetness is just not there. Perhaps I'm too set on other types of blends, mainly English types and rich Virginias. This one is not for me. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Edit: On the plus side, it won't bite, smokes cool and the leaf quality is quite good. Moved it from 1 to 2 stars.

I love most stuff from SG. Skiff, Chocolate Flake and Navy Flake are three of my favourites tobaccos and right now I store about 45 tins of SG mixtures and flakes in my cellar. As other blens of this manufacturer the leaves in it are high quality. But I have only three words to describe this one: soapy, soapy and soapy. Try it if you like the Lakelands soapy and herbal flavors only.

Over the years, I have smoked most of the Samuel Gawith blends. There have been some I didn't care for, but most have provided a very positive, if not downright delightful, experience. Grousemoor is of the latter; it's an exceptional blend.

The ribbon cut is nearly always a little over moist upon first opening the tin, but if you've been cellaring it for a couple years or more, it will be perfect. Most people seem to be unable to put their finger on any exact flavoring used, as there is such a melange of different tastes and smells, that to do so would be impossible. It has a hint of the Lakeland floral to it, but this is barely detectable among all the other flavors.

There is a definite citrus note to it, as well as a delightful peatiness. It is mildly sweet, never bitter, and nearly always bite free. It is just simply a very good tobacco that smokes down to a fine gray ash. The flavor is complex, so don't get bogged down trying too hard to sort it out. Just enjoy the ride.

Grousemoor is a ribbon-cut tobacco that needs to be dried a little before trying to smoke it. It suffers from the besetting sin of SG tinned tobaccos: it comes a good deal too moist. Aromatic? – yes, but in a much more subtle sense than some aromatic abominations are. Lemon grass? – maybe; but there's a mixture of flavours and fragrances here that I can't put my finger on.

It's difficult to put my response to Grousemoor into words; but I find it too mild and the flavours too elusive: certainly not understated, but too ‘confused' to give me anything definite. Because of this, I puff too hard and it bites me. If I smoke at a sensible pace, I hardly get anything out of it at all: it's a bit like listening to good music but with the volume turned down just that little bit too low. I don't get on with very strong tobaccos, but I do like a tasty flake and (occasionally) a Latakia mixture, and Grousemoor is much too intelligent a tobacco for me.

It's a very old blend, they say: it's been popular for a long while, and I see that some reviewers here adore it. It's certainly a high-quality tobacco. Worth a try, then, if only to say that you have. Personally, I don't like it much - to my mind there's just not enough to it; but I can see its virtues, and I'm happy to recommend it to those whose palates are more civilised than mine. It's an acquired taste. I think that, with perseverance and an open mind, I might be able to acquire it. But, then again, there are too many tobaccos that I know and like to spend time and money on acquiring a taste for this one.

You've got to help me out here chaps! - I cannot stop buying this, but I have yet to finish a tin. It's said this has been around 200 years - it probably takes that long to grow on you! and yet, there is something that is so "Samuel Gawith" about this blend. Sadly, it doesn't smoke as good as it smells. Like all SG's it's very moist and needs drying. If the aroma is supposed to be reminiscent of the Lake District moors - it doesn't do it for me.

This is my second SG blend, after Squadron Leader, and I find it to be one of the best blends that I have smoked thus far. Upon opening the tin and taking a whiff of this, the aroma was great. It was something that said to me that it would be well worth the $8 plus investment. And indeed it was. The presentation was on par with such a tobacco company as SG. It did seem a bit moist when I opened the tin, but it did not deter from the smoking qualities in any way. It does seem to be a slow burning mixture. The taste and nicotine content were in the upper level to me. The first bowl did make my head spin a bit, but I am getting used to the Vitamin N level in this blend. The amount of smoke produced was very good. The room note I would place as pleasant. I find that at the end of the bowl, it leaves a nice ash at the bottom. I can see why this has been around for some 200 years. I would recommend this to anyone wanting to taste what an aromatic is supposed to smoke and taste like.

Another love it or hate it blend from SG, who seem to specialize in blends that so curiously polarize our community. This is one of those blends that I believe once you develop a taste for, you're hooked. But I can also see how many don't like it.

Me? I love it, I was hooked from my very first whiff upon opening the tin to my very first sip. And my infatuation with it deepens with each bowl.

It's a very curious flavor, difficult for me to put my finger on. It's subtle and subdued, yet simultaneously prominent and distinctive. Perhaps A Morley Jacque, in my favorite review on this site, captures it best: "floral and herbal and fruity in delicate balance all at the same time." Sceny, in his review, says "It is very interesting, with many different flavors to enjoy on the palate; I'd call it a 'brown' taste", which seems oddly correct. For me, an aromatic garden in a sun-dewed meadow on a hot summer afternoon comes to mind while smoking it. I'm also reminded a little of Oban, a delicate, complex, slightly floral and fruity aromatic single-malt scotch.

Indeed this blend has more than a few paradoxical qualities: it's a generally bright and hi-key blend that has depth to it; the casing perfectly complements and brings out the virginia flavor rather than masking it; and it's an aromatic that has a remarkable amount of complexity and nuance. Ultimately, it's an aromatic virginia that is somehow both less than and greater than these two components taken alone, but when combined create a unique smoking experience. But this blend will only reveal its delicate mysteries if packed with care and smoked slowly, for it can turn harsh and bitter if you're not careful. (For some reason I find this a tricky blend in which to find a good smoking rhythm, but once I find it I'm nicely rewarded.)

I'll give A Morley Jaques the final word on this blend: "The specific flavor notes of Lakeland aromatic essences serve to heighten and exemplify the nuances of a fine Virginia and even cut out some of the excessive sootiness to be found in many examples of the leaf... The Virginia leaf is not only of the finest quality, but also quite strong. The affect of the top dressing is perfect if approached with an open mind. This is a tobacco for real men, and by that I don't mean John Wayne and Mike Hammer, but guys who truly deserve the title like William Wordsworth and Thomas Hardy."

Well said, A Morley Jaques.

UPDATE: Since writing my review three months ago I can state that this tobacco has single-handedly changed my smoking habit. During this time I believe that more than 85% of my bowls have been this weed. There's something about Grousemoor's flavor that I crave, and which I find almost perfectly satisfying to the point of frustration: the flavor is alluring, yet mysterious, always just outside my grasp, like trying to focus on something in your peripheral vision that disappears when you look at it. It's like the coquette who obsesses you precisely because you can never possess her. Never has a topping complemented a leaf so well. (Perhaps that's why it's been around for a couple hundred years.)

I now find, when needing a different flavor once in a while, that I'll grab the straight virginias more than my beloved english, balkan, and VaPers. I attribute this change in taste to this blend.

I hope someday my predilection balances out, since I've invested quite a bit in cellaring english & oriental blends. But for now, I'm very much enjoying my immoderate infatuation with Grousemoor.

Ah, I am smoking my last bowl of Grousemoor and now's the time for a review of this mysterious blend. I've been smoking pipes for several years now so I am definitely not an authority on the history of blends. However, what field research I've done leads me to believe this is a classic old-time aromatic. I've read reviews and descriptions of other old school aros and the reviews included references to the soapy and floral aromas of these blends.

Grousemoor definitely has a slight soapy and perfumy smell to it. It's very strange at first. I'm used to english blends which smell like varouos tobaccos, obviously, or aromatics that smell like vanilla, cherry etc... But apparently, back in the day, the old smokers didn't want a "candy" like flavoring. So they got this kind of strange flavoring.

I reminded myself the taste of scotch was at first strange too but I got over that. And I got over the strange taste of Grousemoor to the point I really enjoy it. I willl be comparing it soon to Peretti's "No name" which has a similar soapy etc.. description. Grousemoor a very nice change of pace.

Shame. Gawith's make some really great blends like Celtic Talisman and Firedance with taste and aroma to die for, but this is a total letdown. I just don't understand how people are getting all these flavours from.

I can't detect any room note (and no-one else in the house has either) and it has no particular attributes when burning.

A poor blend then, but one I am going to smoke to the bottom of the tin as I've convinced that I have missed something....somewhere.

Edit. A few days later after it had dried out a bit in the tin I filled a bowl and really quite enjoyed it. Never said it was bad, but then never saids it was good either.

On reflection a tasteless, but oddly satisfying brew, though where on earth these folks are getting 'perfumey' from I really don't know.

Yeah there's something about this one, just can't put my finger on it.

I love it, just when you think know what an 'lakeland' or an 'aromatic' is then you smoke this stuf...simply wonderful, the harmony of floral flavor and sweetness is superb. This is like a gentler Condor, much more sophisticated and better quality leaf me thinks. I think this is one for lakeland lovers and haters...it will please one and convert the other...top stuff.

This is very unique tobacco here. Soapy, floral, perfumy- however you prefer to describe it... I LIKE IT! Hard to describe this stuff, you just have to smoke it and see for yourself. Everyone in the US is sold out currently, but if/when it comes back I suggest you get some. If you're a dirty hippie at heart and appreciate a touch of "Spring" in your pipe, you'll love it. It's certainly not for everyone though. I'm trying to track down some of the plug version which is supposedly much more heavily perfumed/scented. Not an everyday smoke for me, but a tasty treat when I do reach for it. Leaves my house smelling great. The first couple sips are heaven!

This was my first try of an SG brand. The tin I purchased seemed to be old as it had rust around the edges of the tin (From Black Cat Cigar in Philly). The tin is very attractive and appears very “old school”. Nice sweet, light aroma upon opening. Pinched easily from the cake and loaded nicely into my Savinelli Bing's Favorite. Easy to light and burned smoothly to a fine white ash. Packed lightly it was smooth and mild from the start. It did get a little stronger (but still pleasantly mild) about ¾'s of the way through the bowl. The room note was very light and pleasant. The sweetness of the smoke was not overpowering so that you can still enjoy the tobacco taste. I experienced no bite with this tobacco and was ready for another bowl almost immediately. Tobacco smoked smoothly with no moisture buildup all the way to the bottom of the bowl. This tobacco is mild enough to smoke all day and strongly recommended new pipe smokers. I found this an enjoyable light smoke great for the first bowl of the day for all pipe smokers. I plan to keep some of this tobacco in my normal rotation.

Fantastic "honey" floral flavors with a hint of something fruity, but in no way goopy or overpowered. Fine quality leaf, no bite whatsoever. Smoked down clean to a tiny wafer of dry dottle and some salt and pepper ashes.

Absolutely wonderful. I suspect that I'll be buying this in bulk soon...very soon...

The open tin presents lt brown and golden ribbon cut tobacco.The moisture content is about right.The aroma is slightly floral with a rasin, dried plum background.At first light a VA sweetness with a berry taste in the background. Smoking in a Peterson Meer system pipe gave a cool dry biteless smoke.The tobacco took to the flame easily and required infrequent relights.the flavor was consistant through the bowl. The tobacco smoked down to a fine white ash and left a dry pipe.

Overall impression- Grousemoor is a mild smoke with a predominate sweet tobacco flavor with light berry overtones from start to finish.Light to nonexistant room note with enough flavor to be an all day smoke.

This tin brought an unexpected joy to my daily routine. The initial opening of the tin brought me back to a hint of the old Harrod's Irish Mixture,(without the Latikia of course)... the sort of sweet, fruit cake smell. The first bowl brought a mix of flavors and one in particular that I still cant put my finger on. This one sweet yet pungent smell/flavor in undefinable to me. Upon further smoking I find that it is a fun smoke and in no way comparable to any aromatic that I have ever smoked. Some have considered this an aromatic, I disagree... this is a sweet natural smoke that delivers good quality flavor and satisfies even the most particular taste. Good for anyones rotation. Nice Sunday morning smoke with a cup of Black Tea after some Toast and Cheese.

EDIT: Local Michigan stores have been out of SG blends and I just found a tin of Grouse-Moor and am smoking it now. One suggestion to all. Give this stuff a litte more time to air out than most. In my excitement to smoke I planted it a little to early and its too moist. Suffering from a bit of bite and cant seem to keep it lit. Still a GREAT smoke... even on a damp rainy day.

This blend was a new experience to me in that it is an aro but not cloyingly so. The tin is very attractive and looks like an old blend. Upon opening it, I was greeted with a sweet, fermented berry aroma. The tobacco is somewhat sticky and is a light tan color with some darker flakes mixed lightly into it. It is a thin ribbon cut. It loaded in to my pipe sell though I was careful not to overpack because of the stickiness. It lit very easily and stayed lit well for being so wet. I was greeted with a mild, mostly blueberry taste and a great aroma. I settled back to enjoy it with a cup of hot Irish tea.

This blend stayed consistant all the way down with a refreshing flavor on my palette and was in no way overwhelming with the added flavors as many aros are. It has a sweet taste yet one can taste the tobaccos in it. It started mild and stayed that way, never threatening tongue bite at all. I smoked it down to a dark grey ash with very little dottle and once done, immediately wanted another bowl of it. It is light on the "N" and would be a great smoke for newbies or an all day blend for those whom like aros.

I give this four stars as it is as promised and from beginning to end was a delightful smoke. I do recommend trying this.

Grousemoor falls into the "mild aromatics", or more properly, "mildly aromatized flue and/or air cured tobaccos", along with Amphora Full Aroma, Sail Green, Sail Natural, PS Natural, and many others.

This blend comes quite most both in bulk and tinned versions. The cut is not one of my favorites, but packing is not a problem once you air it out for a while.

The flavoring is rather unique and hard to define. I'd say it's refreshing, lacking a more specific definition. Tongue bite is not an issue, as long as you don't overpuff (which I usually do due to its mildness).

The only drawback is the price, considering that this type of tobaccos are usually in the lower end of the price range, but it's good and recommendable.

this is not perfume and neither soap - this is freshness.What do you take p & s for? I like this one, especially outdoors. The ribbon cut is okay for me, although it comes a bit too wet out of the tin. Load the pipe and give it a 30 minutes rest. Once lit it burns cool and perfectly mild, if you treat it gentle. You might get a little burn on your tongue, but this just your own fault. I like this lakeland flavour as you can see in my reviews. I think that this is a marvelous tobacco quality combined with an extravagant flavouring made out of flowers and some fragrancies I don´t even want to know. The room note was never in question when I passed the tin over to the gruntlers. Outdoors no one realy cares about you, because most of the people like pipesmokers because they are so different. My recommendation goes out to experienced smokers who like good quality tobaccos at first. If they don´t care what others say and don´t like aromatics. Then you will certainly like Grousemoore. Otherwise don´t even try it.

This is a very well manned tobacco with a pleasant aroma which works well as an all day smoke. It is not, as I have read, for limp wristed esoterics, but most agreeable and will suit anyone who has tried Gold Block. I have actually mixed Grousemoor and Gold Block together as the latter is my regular choice, and they complement each other, supporting each other and not taking anything away from the other. Either straight or mixed Grousemoor is well worth trying. Mixture don't stay around for 200 years if they are no good

My first tin of this was a curiosity thing, based on the "love it or hate it" mixed reviews. OK...not bad, not bad at all. The Lakeland scent not nearly as pronounced as some reviews would lead one to believe, and recedes into the background soon after the first quarter of the bowl. 3 stars based on 1 tin. I am now on my second 50 grams, and this stuff keeps growing on me, so make it 4 stars. Best indoors (for me, at least), as I prefer flakes outdoors...1792, Bracken, FVF in cold weather. I'm thinking a flake version of the Grouse would be a great warm weather outdoor smoke. Dare I try some Grousemoor Plug? Hmm...

I can dig it, so to speak. It burns cool and clean, and no overheating like with the tropical fishes. Who said that? No bite. No coating on the palate. If you like Lakeland tobaccos you will probably like this. I do.

Obviously I am not a person that throws around bad reviews as 95% of my reviews have been 3 and 4 stars but this stuff bites the big one. Nice tin aroma but then you may as well have filled your pipe with ivory soap as the floral taste is disgustingly strong.

SG makes 2 of my top 5 tobaccos, so I can guarantee there's nothing personal... I just hate this particular blend.

it comes the time when I should not recommend a tobacco. Grousemoor is my first one. Nothing to say about the tradition of SG, the quality of the leaves, the fine presentation. The tin aroma itself is wonderful, never smelled anything of this kind in 30years: flowers, teas, rosemary, spices... but: unlit it doesn't smell tobacco, and the smoke doesn't produce any tobacco flavour. It's really too much for me. I'm not able to go through the whole tin, just keeping the last small amount of tobacco as a reminder to avoid it for the future. Sorry, Samuel...

Tin: What immediately comes to mind is a nice, pleasant caramel popcorn scent, exactly like syrup, not perfumy at all. After a couple of days, maybe a very light floral scent is detectable, but nice and pleasant. Mostly light brown to dark blonde, long ribbon cut, tightly enmeshed and packed together, reminding me of Dunhill's Standard Mixture. It is dry to supple and packed in a plain white wax paper.

Packing & Lighting: Packed until it draws with a slight resistance. Not being moist, GM needs one match to burn down to a fine ash.

Taste & Aroma: Initially, harsh, burning as hot as a blast furnace, and bitey. Bottom is mild burnt popcorn. A fast-burning blend, a bowl doesn't last long. Latterly, towards the end of the tin, the tobacco had dried out and only then would I desribe it as scented, to the extent of likening it to light hair spray and could even understand the previously mentioned "urinal cake", but nowhere near the realm of Half and Half.

GM does produce moisture and does not leave the pipe particularly clean.

Nicotine: Medium, but the effects persist

Room Note: Mild burnt popcorn, tolerable

Overall: Although GM was sampled under very windy conditions, subsequent smoking indoors provided confirmation. At least initially, GM does not seem perfumy at all, having one of the most pleasant of all tin aromas; the taste, aroma, and room note have nothing to recommend. Virginia seed, grown in Zimbabwe, is supposed to be a Cadillac of tobacco varietals, like what Jamaica Blue Mountain is to Columbian coffee. In a way, I'm reminded of Orlik's Golden Sliced (red), which promotes a traditional angle and has a very soft floral scent. 2.5 stars, just somewhat recommended.

Concerning the use of chemical additives to blends made in Great Britain, reference "Dating English Tinned Tobacco"; and Meadowfoam Seed Oil(re: Briarabbit) is a natural product.

This is the first lakeland I really didn't like at all. I was hesitant to buy it because the description by the other reviewers didn't make me think this would appeal to me. But if you're going to tour the lakeland, it would be a mistake to skip a blend with such history. As to a certain debate about whether you should review a tobacco in a "genre" you don't like, I do like some aromatics or at least borderline ones (i.e., scented flakes, etc.), so the question would be whether this unique kind of aromatic constitutes its own genre. By reviewing it I assume not.

This is unique, no doubt about it. If I have ever called any other Lakeland "soapy," I take it back. This presents flavors and aromas of perfumed, flowery soap both in the tin and in the smoke which will make you forget the soapiness of anything else I've tried from SG or G&H (note: I haven't tried ennerdale). There is some very basic and very light natural tobacco flavor, mind you. It is toasty and grassy, much like some notes I noticed in Kendal Cream Mixture. That part is ok, but again very light and not really notable enough to bring me back even if it weren't for the unpleasantness of the casing.

Though others have not noted this problem, I found with this tobacco that the afteraffects were worse than any other lakeland I've tried, even the nicotene powerhouses. I'm not taking that into account in this review, but it will keep me personally away from this even more in the future.

In fact, I think of it more as of some last year's swamp grass collected at a Lakeland moor in March. Naturally, it's best to smoke it in April when it's still fresh, so to speak. By May it might already be nauseating.

I must admit I smoked this weed exclusively for a week after opening the tin. Having finished the tin I bought another one to keep in stock, but I doubt I will be returning to Grousemoor earlier than March or April. I believe I should be out of tobacco by that time.

My very first bowl of this tobacco was awful. Put the thin aside, after one month tried it again. The floral notes were still there, but not offending any more. This second bowl (after one month) was delicious. The floral essences really support the Virginias. I smoke this stuff every now and then, and especially like it on a sunny day.

It seems as if you either love this or hate it. I happen to love it and I'll describe why.

This blend is unashamedly aromatic and boasts a 200 year heritage to back up its claim as a classic. I couldn't agree more! At first light, you'll feel kind of poncy, since the floral sweetness feels sort of foppish and ephemeral. However, as you proceed through midbowl, the floral fragrance and taste gives way to some meaty virginia and there is a hint of pepper at the roof of the mouth, but with NO bite on the tongue or back of the throat. As you make your way to the bottom, the strength of the nicotine and the pure tobacco flavors blend on the tongue with the floral, caramel taste in a precise and pleasant way. This is never harsh, never rude and always genteel. I would say that it's the most noble tobacco I have smoked to date and with its pedigree, I can see why it holds such high rank in the world of tobacco!

If you remember those old Violet candies, with the hint of lavender, this tobacco's initial taste and light overtones are similar to that. It's never cloying or nasty, though. It's also easy on the pipe, burning down to white, dry ash and never fouling the briar. The room note is heavenly and you get the entire gamut of floral complexity through to good tobacco flavor.

Highly recommended for aromatic smokers. Those English afficionados are better off trying a sample of this in a corncob or meerschaum. Those with fire-blasted tongues and smoke-clogged noses (the drugstore smoker team) will thank the gods of tobacco for bringing them salvation in a tin!

How I sigh when I read the reviews skewering this blend. First consider that S. Gawith has continued this traditional blend recipe for the past 200 years, 200 years! So it has not been intentionally made to insult pipe smokers. Quality Virginian tobacco is the bedrock of this recipe. I bet the aromatics used are all-natural, for the topping never usurps the tobacco, and always dissipates and never haunts the pipe. I love it in the morning because I capture better the delicate nuances this blend provides. I?ve finished bowls so cleanly I wonder where the ash has gone. Don?t look for a foghorn in this blend, its too refined. So, if you don?t care for the blend, say goodbye, and git yourself a ?whopper? of a tobacco!

aromatic but unlike those horrible sticky cherry and candyfloss blends.like many things this in an acquired taste as you may find it very different. lavender, bergemot, rose, taste,hard to nail down.an old blend and a must for anybody interested in tobacco,its history and different tastes and blends. this is not an aromatic trying to mimic a specific taste such as cherry but a tobacco that stands on its own and a great example of a lakeland blend. matt

As has been said it's unusual stuff. I picked this up upon reading reviews here just because it seemed so curiously different. I half expected to taste Chanel perfume or oil of Bergamot-flavored tobacco. Thankfully it tastes like neither of these, but is wonderfully flowery - almost like lavender or heather.

Despite being called an aromatic, this is NOT sweet tasting in the typical sense one might expect in this category of tobacco. Think of it as a lightly flavored Virginia blend. This stuff DOES taste like tobacco, and the casing is is just barely there in a way that reminds me of a MacBaren blend like Navy Flake rather than an in your face cloyingly sweet bulk brand. The closest analogy I can come up with is this: take Peterson's Irish Oak, remove the Perique and Cavendish and replace them with a light, flowery casing and you have Grousemoor. The tin smells of these two blends are oddly similar (perhaps due to the fact they both have African tobacco?).

It burns well straight out if the tin. Perhaps because of the high Virginia content, it get bite a little if pushed, so take your time and enjoy it slowly.

ALSO: The room note will likely get you compliments from those who tolerate aromatics. Since it isn't really a "sweet" aromatic it might be a good one for those who want to satisfy others around you but do not want the taste of vanilla, fruits, liquorice or other confections in your tobacco.

Not surprisingly his stuff pairs GREAT with herbal tea, like chamomile or "bed-time" tea. I recommended giving it a try if you like Virginias and feel adventurous.

I couldn't have this all the time, but it worth the price if only for its uniqueness and plus, it's fun to think that some guy wearing a powdered wig 200 years ago may have smoked this same blend - it's like smoking history.

I simply love this blend. It is unique among aromatics as many here have observed previously. A blend like this reminds me of why I like pipe smoking.

I was very excited about trying this English Aromatic since I learned that England, some years ago, outlawed artificial ingredients to be added to their pipe tobaccos (I praphrase here and deffer to our friends form England if I have misquoted the law).

The initial tin aroma is that of a floral essence. Lavender, rose petals etc? I don't know but I do know I like it and it tastes like it smells, rare in my experience with aromatics.

This VA aromatic is true and natural, definitely to be appreciated by naturalists and outdoorsmen, which I fancy myself to be. Knowing the ingredients are natural and not synthetic adds some character to the smoke which I enjoy, as it does with foods that I know are natural (organic) and free of artificial additives.

The flavors/aromas: I detect the classic VA grassiness, but it is subtle along with a very pleasant nutty texture that compliments the topping very well. A personal habit of mine is to smell the "bowl aroma" occasionally between puffs. This one smells wholesome, nutty, rich and creamy in the lit bowl. Always a good sign. If I smell charcoal or "chimney flue" in a bowl aroma - it usually gets dumped, and with good reason.

Several things I have learned I recommend you try that will improve the experience of Grousemoor to a 4 star smoke.......

1) Pack loosely, as loosely as your packing habits will allow you to do without "grimacing" as you pack. Then, GENTLY re-tamp as you will after the first lighting.

2) Use a butane lighter (bic style). The blend is so delicate in flavor that you will taste your match or Zippo lighter fluid on lighting and subsequent draws. I am a wood match fanatic and use them on almost every blend and pipe I own, but Grousemoor appreciates the tastelessness of a clean butane flame.

3) When and if your pipe gets too hot to be comfortably held for a few seconds, put it down and let it go out, maybe a 3-5 min break. If your pipe doesn't do this puff away to the bottom of the bowl and enjoy.

4) Dedicate a pipe to this blend that has had a mild non-aromatic smoked through it recently. Preferably a VA or VA blend without perique. The flavor of other aromatics will interfere with Grousemoor on the first few bowls if you use a pipe that has recently smoked aromatics. 3-5 bowls full in the same pipe without smoking other blends are necessary for you to get the feel and spirit of Grousemoor, and for it to mesh flavors with your dedicated pipe.

5) Dry your portion on a paper plate for 10-15 min before smoking. Grousemoor is a bit moist out of the tin, but I like that. I'd rather have a little extra moisture than try to remediate a dry tobacco - it takes too long and is risky for mold. Drying is easy. Outside drying on a clear day is best and fastest. Inside will take longer.

This blend burns evenly and with the least residual moisture of any blend I have yet tried. Grousemoor leaves essentially a dry bowl. Not one single gurgle after several bowls in my Chacom Canadian (10"). Absolutely no bite! I think I'm in love.

A 200 year old blend that is still a success? I can see why. "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."

Grousemoor is now in my daily rotation - and hopefully will be for a long time to come. Try Grousemoor, you will be pleased you did. It is truly a pleasure to smoke.

The analogy of Earl Grey Tea is quite an apt description of Grousemoor. This tobacco seems to start as quite a nice Virginia. I was surprised at how mellow the tobacco was, with no tongue bite and very little discernable nicotine content.

I would love to give this tobacco a higher rating, since I am generally quite fond of Samuel Gawith tobaccos. I really believe this to be a high quality aromatic tobacco. The added flavour does mask the tobacco, however. Since I find it hard to develop a real liking for this flavour, however, I cannot rate it higher than 2 stars.

If you are looking for a high quality tobacco with lots of added zest, this may be for you. It is a high quality tobacco-and if you like aromatics, it may be a great favourite. Perhaps a good transition for those wanting to get away from the chemical based American aromatics as well!

If you want pure tobacco enjoyment in your pipe, stick with Samuel Gawith favourites, like Squadron Leader or Full Virginia Flake. They will provide lots of unadulterated flavour.

If you have already tried this tobacco, you don?t need to read my review. You have already made up your mind about it. If you have never smoked it, buy a can and see for yourself. No words can really describe the experience. I can only offer some general impressions. There is no other tobacco with which I can accurately compare Grousemoor. The closest I can come is to make a tea analogy. As other reviewers have noted, this is the Earl Grey of pipe tobacco.

Grousemoor has the most distinctive tin aroma I have experienced. Intensely floral, almost like perfume. This stuff is clearly from a long gone era. Because of this dainty smell, don?t open the tin for the first time when surrounded by your hunting buddies (even though the label shows a hunting scene) unless your hunting buddies are members of the British House of Lords and are wearing powdered wigs whilst carrying their ?fowling? guns. Instead, take your tin home and sneak away to a private place, pop it open, and give it a good sniff. If your immediate reaction is ?awful?, toss the stuff or give it to a needy pipe man. It doesn?t really get any better. If, however, the aroma intrigues you, you are in good company. Pipe smokers have been enjoying Grousemoor for 200 years. A mildly eccentric friend of mine likes to walk around with an unlit pipe of this stuff just to inhale the aroma. If you find the aroma is charming, but too darn strong, put the tin away and let this tobacco rest for a few weeks and most of the tin aroma will dissipate. This tobacco dramatically mellows with age. In fact, like all Gawith flakes, it smokes better if opened and left to dry for a few days.

I smoke this on occasion. Like Earl Grey tea, this is not for everyday. Rather it is best for special occasions. When I am feeling particularly contemplative, I fill a big bent bulldog with this tobacco that has been enjoyed since Britain's glorious 19th century and slowly puff while imagining myself serving in Nelson?s navy, or running a tobacco farm in Rhodesia, or conducting a business meeting around a teak table in a Hong Kong tea house, or keeping the grounds at Lady Chattersly?s estate. As I approach the end of the bowl, I imagine receiving a knighthood from Queen Victoria for dedicated service to the Empire, then puffing on my pipe while enjoying High Tea at Buckingham Palace. Then, usually, as the pipe smoulders out, I am awakened from my revery when my wife calls to me to take out the garbage.

As some reviewers have noted this is a delicate tobacco that tastes as it smells. light heather tones,moss and fragrant tea aromas. Mmm yes this is to be savoured slowly, packed lightly and puffed deliberately. Enjoy it like a fine wine, let it linger in the mouth for it sometimes surprises with unexpected and fleeting taste sensations. Can seem moist out of the new tin and benefits from a couple of 'open top' days. Pack lightly in the three or four layers and don,t smoke it too quickly and you,ll be rewarded with a wonderfull experience. Ignore and it,s tongue biting time and lighting up problems aplenty. Give it a try, it,s not everyones 'cup of tea',but it could just be a pleasant surprise.

04.20.2007. update and upgrade: this tobacco is growing on me. it may be the same phenomenon that i saw with 1792, which profited greatly by drying out for a couple of weeks. now, grousemoor smokes very pleasantly, with a lot less perfumy taste - and besides, it's got a very positive wife-factor.

i've noticed with these gawith tobaccos that they burn remarkably slow compared to the german made english brands. it's certainly one great difference between, say, hal o'the wynd and astley 33 of 20 years ago and their present day incarnations. i wonder why.

03.09.2007. i don't get this tobacco. i mean, what's the idea in taking perfectly decent, if mild, virginias and adding a quite powerfull flavour? of course, it may even out the sharp edges of the virginias, but in this case samuel gawith has ended up with something utterly boring.

Not a big fan of aromatics, I must confess, but decided to try this one out and I'm glad that I did. Perhaps I've gotten mildly cased tins or perhaps all that Cyprus Latakia & Louisiana Perique has paralyzed some of my taste buds, but I don't taste the casing as strongly as some describe. I taste high quality tobacco with a moderate floral note. My wife thinks the tobacco smells quaint, and so I let her get a whiff of the tin and she claims to smell licorice. perhaps that's why I love this blend so much...

I won't include this in my regular rotation, but I'm quite certain that my tobacco voyages will bring me back to this stuff eventually.

UPDATE:3/30/07 After smoking Grousemoor for several months, I am going to take a star off. I still like the flavor and the tobacco, but it has started to give me some bite. I think after smoking sevral SG flakes, this tobacco seems much harsher. Still a great tobacco.

This is my first experience smoking an Lakeland tobacco, and I must admit, this is a real smoking experience. This is a real sophisticated smoke, with subtle flora notes and a slight sweetness. Yes, I would consider this blend an aromatic, but it tastes and smokes completely different than most aromatics, cool and no bite. The flavor sits quitely in the background, while the true tobacco taste come through.

I guess there is a reason a 200 year old blend is still around today. This is smoking history, and an experience in old world tobacco. A must try for all pipe somokers.

Grousemoor.21/03/07. Remember back in the seventies there was a saying that if something was really good,then it was "GROUSE" I'm sorry,but I didn't find anything "GROUSE" about this blend! I was bitterly disappointed from the the very first light,and my opinion did not have reason to change along the way to bowl's end. Remember,it's your money and to me there are finer tobacco investment's out there.

Grouse-Moor is a tobacco rich in History, as well as taste. While many eschew them, I am a devout fancier of English ?Lake Flakes,? and their properties. This fine tobacco is no exception. I am enamored of the smoking experience I receive from each and every pipe full of this fine Samuel Gawith offering.

It is indeed extremely refined with a soft and rounded mélange of flavors. The pouch aroma is quite reminiscent of naturally fresh and piquant fields of flowers in full bloom during early spring time. The aroma and actual flavors are truly conjoined, which is uncommon, but very well received. Grouse-Moor is easy to fill the pipe with and lights readily. I have found a light fill is the best method to employ as it promotes a cool, slow and dry burn with the best spectrum of flavors.

Smoking Grouse-moor indoors while sitting in my favorite leisure chair is how I enjoy it most. The perfectly sweet smoke produced with each slow sip is marvelous, affording simple pleasure that guides me along the relaxing path to complete repose. Each bowl smokes all the way down into a fine gray ash, leaving a subtle floral aftertaste that imprints into the mind, like the aromas of a flower garden after a soft spring shower. Refreshing, relaxing and satisfying, Grouse-Moor is one fine offering and one of my most favored tobaccos.

This is not a bad blend, if you are looking for a mild change of pace. I detect a mossy flavor, not too sweet. It is not a strong smoke, though. Some bite, and burns wet right out of the tin. Hoping that will cange in the coming days/weeks. Certainly not a bad smoke, but I can't say there was anything superb about it.

As I puffed away on my churchwarden, I imagined a damp morning in Britain somewhere, heading out for morning chores with leather work gloves and dirt under my boots.

This is my first experience with SG. What a pleasant experience it was indeed. This offering at first caught my eye due to the label on the tin. The fact that this tobacco has been in manufacture for 200 years is also appealing.

Upon opening the tin the aroma of the casing was fresh and spicy but not overpowering the light and dark Virginia flue cured tobacco aroma still shines through. As most ribbon cut tobacco I found it difficult to pack and some tearing was in order. Once my bowl was packed I could hardly contain my excitement to char the top layer of this tasty smoke. After my second match strike and three to four gentle draws on the old Ben my senses were aroused to the gentle room note GM had to offer. Be careful though as with most tobacco of this category easy does it, smoke slow!

This is definitely what I consider a sunrise rocking chair blend. The quality of tobaccos used by this blender is definitely a strong note, a little pricey but well worth it. GM finished as well as it started with a white to smokey grey ash and a satisfying aftertaste. This tobacco is a definite winner in my book and will become an honored addition to my cellar.

I've read alot about this particular blend and was anxious to try it. After having visited a few of the online pipe smoker's bulletin boards, I was of the opinion this was a love it or hate it tobacco. I'm afraid I fall into the middle. I can take it or leave it. I detect a slightly floral type note and it's a nice pleasant smoke, but for me, nothing to write home about (except online). I don't think I will be buying it again. Just doesn't quite do it for me.

What a delightful smoke this is. The comparisons to tea are very apt as it is a delicate and aromatic quality that Grousemoor has. I smoked my first bowl recently with a breakfast cup of tea and the spring sun on my back. I knew at once it was going to be a favourite. The warmth of the sun and the crispness of the air at that wonderful time of year seemed to only enhance Grousemoor. For a while time stood still in what was a sublime smoke. Definitely a warm weather tobacco. I find it also goes superbly with a light flavoured Mexican beer such as Corona or Sol.

If there is one tobacco that truly defines a region and a producer, it has to be the Grouse Moor. Its tradition has splendidly survived the ages with its political and social upheavals as well as EU outsourcing ala Dunhill and Dan. It?s still produced by Gawith in that hauntingly beautiful region of England, the Lakeland District, with its crags, lonely glens and misty dusks that inspired native son, William Wordsworth to poetry. You can get over the initial tin aroma, which is a cross between English Breakfast tea and cheap Gonesh sandalwood sticks, if you allow it to breathe for a few moments upon opening. The string cut packing is firm and spongy, but be sure you pack in layers and check frequently to avoid annoying plugs and other misbehavior down the road. Start with a clean pipe and draw the taste in a few times before lighting. Where have you tasted anything like this before? High tea, maybe? Bring out the scones and Eccles cake, Trevor! The smoke will bring about tastes and aromas of heather, honey and the moors ala Germain, but with Victorian reserve. You can almost see Basil Rathbone appear amidst the smoky vapor. Very English and dignified, at the same time mystic like the landscape and the atmosphere from where it comes. You will either love or hate this time-honored classic, a special gift from Britain?s glorious past.

Wow! Where do I begin with this tobacco? I've never smoked anything like it. Very floral, it is definately designed to smell like a meadow in the spring. A sophisticated smoke to say the least, there's really not much I can add here. I would recommend this to anyone who thinks they might like it, or who may just be curious. I haven't made up my mind yet about whether this will become a regular for me, but, if nothing else, this tobacco has given me an entirely new experience in flavour and aroma. And that's a good thing indeed.

Tin aroma: The sweet floral perfume of clover, encased in an unidentifiable nest of scent.

Having read previous reviews, I allowed the tobacco to air out overnight before my first pipe load. I do recommend this for the smoker?s first light just in case the taste is too much for you. Taste and tin aroma are more closely related in this blend than in most other tobaccos.

Packing: I consistently use a light pack with Grousemoor.

First impressions: Memories galore!

I was taken back to the sunlit afternoons of my childhood, of running around on wet grass among clumps of clover under the summer?s sun. I thought of whimsical gardens around the miniature golf course when I was nine. I sat back in my chair and sipped and each sip brought back youth and joy and simple pleasures.

This was a glimpse into the rabbit hole as seen by Mr. Carroll?.

Mid Bowl: The fascination continues. The smoke carried me into a soft, reticent mood. The air around me turned pleasantly sweet. Flavour wise, I noted more clover, traces of honey blended with elusive, fleeting things that fluttered by. What a delight!

The Finale: Smoked all way down to the briar. No doddle, only a fine gray ash. Tobacco flavour offered in the most mild of hints. Overall, a bite-free experience that leaves a faint, floral aftertaste that makes me want to light up another pipe right afterwards. Writing this, 24 hours after my last bowl, I still relish the memory of yesterday?s pipe.

Conclusion: I find Grousemoor to be heavenly. I find ?the zone? quite often with this tobacco?much more so than with most. I no longer worry about airing it out; I?ll go direct from tin to pipe. It?s enjoyable in either briar or meer. I?ve found it best served in small/medium sized pipes.

As other reviews indicate, it is a ?Love it or Hate it? blend. It is certainly worth trying for far more than sentimental reasons. Exceptional quality products go into the making of Grousemoor. This tobacco has opened new doors for me in the world of Lakeland tobacco and it has a guaranteed place in my rotation. (I typically smoke one pipe a day, mostly in the evening. I currently have at least 25 different tobaccos on hand ranging from Burley to Latakia to aromatics. For me to smoke one tobacco more than once a week is indeed a compliment).

I recommend Grousemoor to aromatic lovers who are in search of something that is far removed from the typical aromatics of our day.

I ordered this because I love to smoke history , and after reading about it this blend seemed to have a lot of history. I am one of those people who started smoking heavy aromatics and then years later was introduced to English blends and I have a wide range of likes in pipe tobacco. This blend was very enjoyable to me. The texture of the tobacco was unique and the flavor is hard to describe but very good. I think it could be harsh if smoked to quickly however I really don?t recall a problem with it. I would certainly smoke it again, and would recommend it to someone who likes high quality aromatics .

Talk about history--Grouse-Moor has been in continuous production by Samuel Gawith for over 200 years. Few tobaccos can boast of such a past, and from the reviews here, one might wonder how Grouse-Moor has managed to stay around as long as it has.

The answer is simple. This is a superb, unique pipe tobacco. When I pack a pipe with this, I think of the Englishmen of 1804 who smoked this very same blend. Some have compared it to shampoo or urinal "mints" (I believe the genius who wrote that meant "cakes"). Ignore the naysayers. The flavor and scent of Grouse-Moor have only a slight floral or perfume overtone; otherwise, it is fruity, smelling somewhat of freshly baked apple pie. It retains its flavor throughout the bowl, all the way down to the bottom. It's mild, refreshing, with an understated strength.

I don't know what tobaccos are used in Grouse-Moor; some of it is a mysterious leaf from Zimbabwe. Whatever it is, it's wonderful. Do yourself a favor and give this a try. It's worth all the Nightcap in the world.

I cringed opening the tin, waiting for the clouds of noxious vapors to escape, but to my great surprise, it actually smelled nice! A bizarre scent to be sure, but slightly spicy and pleasant.

I agonized over which pipe would be the guinea pig (victim) for the test, then packed up and lit.

Delicious! An exotic spice layered over quality leaf that is soothing and mild. It burns well and cool with little tending. The only negative, (some would call this a positive), is the exotic topping burns off about halfway through the bowl and all that's left is a very mild tobacco taste.

It's too exotic to be a regular smoke for me, but it's great for an occasional treat.

I was introduced to this tobacco by asking about trying Erinmoore Flake. Whereby I was asked if I liked pineapple juice in my tobacco and if I valued my pipes. I was then told to try first out Grousemoor and to stop hangin' around old men.

Upon opening the tin, one is hit with a classic potpourri smell followed by some peaches and/or pear overtones. Might be at home in the bathroom. The overall smell is not overwhelming, but it is there. I found that airing out the tin alleviated this as well as dried the tabac out a bit. The ribbons are a lovely golden brown and a bit long and shaggy once freed from the pressing, but give no difficulty to packing.

It lit quickly enough and was easy to keep it going without overheating. There was no bite, but towards the end of the bowl the flavor started to intensify. I found this blend rather mild and low on the nicotine. Generally uneventfull and dull.

From what I?m able to discern, the room note is not too unpleasant ? nobody ran away from me.

I prefer and am used to the smoky English blends hence my rather lackluster review. This blend might be good for first timers. You won?t be mistaken for a baker smoking this, but then again burning potpourri in your pipe might be your thing?

I found Grousemoore not an unpleasant deviation to what I usually smoke and I might actually finish this tin.

This was my first foray into Samuel Gawith blends a few years ago, on a tip from a friend of mine. I do admit that when I first opened the tin, the fruity smell surprised me. I have since learned to leave the tin open for about 2 days to alleviate the heavy scent this blend gives when first opened.

This Virginia tobacco packs very easy, and takes me no more than 2 matches to light. I have not had to relight this blend more than once on any given bowl I smoke. My fiancee says that the room aroma is "heaven" to her, and I find the mild taste very refreshing form the many heavier blends I smoke. This tobacco burns quite evenly and produces a grayish-white ash at bowl's end, with a slight amount of dottle.

Since my first trial of this blend, I always keep a tin of Grousemoor handy when I find my palate in need of a change of pace.

This falls into the category of "another soapy lakeland smoke." If you don't like aromatics, you won't like this one.

I for one, appreciate very much the old-world style of this tobacco, and love how the casing tastes. I think the tobacco they use is also quite good, and I can tell right away that it's NOT cheap, no-good tobacco! It's actually very nice!

It was a little difficult to get lit at first, but after the initial char, she lit just fine. Midway through the bowl, I had to pace myself just a little, because it was getting a little hot. Towards the end, the very end, it got a little harsh, as many pipe tobaccos do, but it smoked all the way to a nice ash.

If you know how to smoke a pipe, and you like aromatics, I think there is room in your cellar for this blend. I was a little worried when I opened the tin, because the aroma was VERY similar to Erinmore Flake, whose tobacco I cannot stand. If you DO smoke all of the bowl, you'll want to take a little care, it does get a little harsh, and the room note deteriorates appreciably. This is not a tobacco that you want to smoke quickly.

A fine tobacco, and I will have more in my cellar.

On a score of 1-100, factoring all qualities possible, I'd give it a 79.

Upon taking a whiff of the tin, I sensed a very light fruity smell. Sort of ala Angel Food Cake. At first light and maybe a third down a soapy or light shampoo taste does offer a presence. A light fruity taste, somewhat clouded begins to appear and interbreeds with a floral perfume. From here the blend levels out and stays pat. As for being Flat? Maybe, ....But not bland.

*Don't give up on this! This blend grows on you. I find myself wanting a bowl every once in a while. Once accustomed, the shampoo & floral become unnoticable. I've raised my rating on this stuff. This one "IS" different!

Connoisseur, ...I'm not. Soap and Shampoo, I have accidently tasted while bathing. Pineapples gone bad (I assume rotten), I don't recall ever tasting. When they are black or molded, I pass. As for Urinal Mints, ... I may look down at them but I have never touched or tasted one.

I would recommend this blend to anyone who thinks he's "tried it all." What this tobacco looks like(light sweet virginia) and what this tobacco tastes like (Sen-Sen) are just completely incongruous. Now that said, this tobacco can be very pleasant if approached cautiously.

The first third of the smoke has an overwhelmingly floral shampoo-ish sort of flavor; however, as the smoke progresses the flavor fades into the background and one finds oneself actually pulling hard at the pipe because, surprise, surprise, the initially hated flavor has become pleasant.

Smoke this, gently and with an open mind. It's not what you expect. It's not bad, either. It's just really, really odd.

Another one of those "gotta try just once" blends. I'm not a huge fan of flavored blends to begin with, and by all rights Grousemoor's incredibly sweet, perfumy topping should have me heading for the hills -- yet I kinda like it! The flavor is intense yet light, not cloying the way most maple/rum/chocolate toppings are. The flowery taste is gone by halfway through the bowl, leaving the tasty "empire leaf" to shine through on its own. At this point Grousemoor undergoes an amazing transformation, becoming a robust and pleasing smoke whose flavor resembles a very sweet variation on Gawith's Full Virginia Flake. Grousemoor will leave a residual sweetness in your pipe for the next bowl, which I rather enjoy.

By no means an all-day (or even an everyday) smoke, Grousemoor can provide a welcome change of pace for those who enjoy its sweetness and intense flavor.

In short, Grousemoore should be named ?Urinal Mint?... because it?s exactly how I imagine one would taste.

Upon initial lighting, I immediately knew ?something wicked this way comes?. The smoke extinguished once after the char light; I think my pipe was actually protesting. I foolishly re-lit.

Shortly thereafter, I found myself fumbling for my trusty pipe tool, which handily dug the mixture out and ended my suffering. I can therefore only mention how the first 10 minutes [of what would have been an hour of torture] burned - dry and even. I?m therefore certain that anyone who favors the flavor of urea & menthol will enjoy a clean smoke all the way to the bottom of the bowl [pun intended].

To think this abomination came from the same blender as the great Squadron Leader is ponderous.

Being a history and nostalgia buff I just had to try this very old blend. The tin is picturesque and the tobacco is top notch. It comes in long light to medium brown ribbons. The aroma is one that I find delicious and I know I have smelled something like it somewhere else, but I do not know where. The tobacco was of moderate moisture and lit easily. It has what I have learned is a characteristic Lakeland fragrance/taste when lit. At first is seems a bit too perfumey, then it settles down into a cool and, well, different smoke. Good outdoors, or relaxing by the fire with book. Recommended.